


Bus 87

by hoshidoshi



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Fluff, M/M, Slightly crack, Slow Romance, and yuta too, dojae, few subplots here and there, friendship value, johnny must stay there with ten, lots of cussing, taeten - Freeform, theres angst tho, this gonna be a long ass ride, yusol is a must in my fics
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-20
Updated: 2018-02-03
Packaged: 2018-08-09 18:08:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 20
Words: 65,838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7811953
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hoshidoshi/pseuds/hoshidoshi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The boy who had always been sitting at the back of the bus ten usually took to head back to his dorm, really piqued his interest, if he'd be honest. And taeyong thought the boy who always took the empty seat beside him, was insanely adorable, even though they never really talked. Until one day.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Boy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FIGHTING

"bye john!" Ten waved to johnny; — his bestfriend before he made his way to the bus stop, to wait for the bus that would be heading to his dorm.

It was one hot afternoon, where ten was sweating bullets while waiting for the goddamn bus to arrive. He felt sticky and too warm for his own comfort — he needed a cold shower as soon as possible but he didn't think the bus would come anytime sooner. He couldn't stop mumbling complains in thai, as he fanned his face using his hand, looking restless as ever. After what seems like a century, the bus finally came and ten had never felt so happy to see the green-couloured bus with a big number 87 on the infront, pulling out infront of him.

Ten went inside of the bus and quickly scanned his bus-card before his eyes roamed around the cramped space to find a seat.

His eyes land at this one boy in a black hoodie, with hood up and he was staring outside the window — seemed deep in thoughts. The seat beside that boy was empty _as usual_ as if it was saved for ten— so without second thoughts, ten made his way to the back of the bus and sat down beside the black hoodie boy.

Of course ten would mind his own business, — plugged his earpiece into his ears and jammed to his favourite songs but he couldn't control his mind when it kept thinking about the boy beside him.

The boy; he's always there. Everyday. Sitting at the same seat and staring out of the window. Sometimes he's sleeping sometimes he's not. Sometimes he's just staring at the road on the outside, sometimes he's looking down on his bright screen — playing with his phone.

But there wasn't one time ten could see the boy without his hood up. He couldn't help but feel curious, he had so many whys playing around in his head, that he felt like asking the boy or even tried to initiate a conversation but couldn't bring himself to do that.

Ten hoped, _one day_ he could do that. 

 

* * *

 

"that mysterious boy in the bus," ten paused, sighing dramatically, "he's making me crazy."  

"too curious, huh?" johnny said playfully, eyeing the smaller as if he's trying to read ten's mind _its not like he could do that, but oh._

They were sitting on their usual spot in the cafetaria, munching down on their lunch, while johnny was listening to his bestfriend's pointless rants. Yes, ranting about a nugu. It sounds silly but, no. "i think you should atleast say hello to him, im very very sure he's conscious of your presence next to him" johnny said logically, he wanted his friend to get over it because to be honest, ten's rants could get so extreme sometimes.

Ten ignored johnny and let himself lost in his own world, zoning out thinking about nothing but that boy. It was crazy and everything now didn't make sense because he's wasting his time thinking over someone he didn't know, or more accurate, over someone that _didn't know him_ — but he couldn't help it. Its not his fault the boy was damn attractive, that he kept on popping out in ten's mind. Ten sighed for the zillion times that day, before he decided to go back to the dorm with his japanese roommate, nakamoto yuta.

He knew the older will asked him lots of question about why he suddenly want to go back together, since its rare, they only went back together in a bus ride once and never again since their major and classes were different — schedules clashed. But now ten didn't mind if the japanese want to throw him a basket of questions because really;— he knew this sounded gay, _not like he's straight anyway_ but all he wanted was, yuta to be there to give him moral support.

Ten wanted to say hello to _that_  boy.

 

* * *

 

Taeyong went inside the bus and made his way to his usual seat; — beside the window at the back of the bus.

He leaned against the window and his gaze wandered outside, looking at the busy street — people rushing everywhere, some were probably just like him, feeling excited to go home even though there's nothing interesting at the dorm but he just felt like it. Some might as well have appointments because of their jobs, or dates.

Taeyong loved to make his mind busy like that, thoughts wandering everywhere — its actually one way to distract himself from thinking about the _cute boy_  who always took the seat beside him. 

 


	2. First Encounter

 Ten and yuta was waiting for the bus together and yuta really wasn't going to shut his _pretty_ mouth — and its really annoying, since the japanese was talking loudly and his talking pace was like a shinkansen — _he's so eager and impatient._ They're lucky nobody else was there at the bus stop, except for the two foreign teenagers, because if not, the japanese already attract unwanted attention.

Ten decided its time to stop yuta from bombarding him, "you know about that mysterious boy in the bus right?" ten asked, he really hope yuta still remember about that boy because he's really not in the mood to explain anything right now, mind too occupied with something  _else._

"of course!! you're talking about him all day _everyday_ and even forcing me to listen to your fanboy rants- oh my," yuta exclaimed, slightly laughing before a wide grin plastered on his pretty face, — and ten got the urge to wipe them off with his fist but of course, he didn't do that. After all, yuta was his favorite hyung even though the older could get so fucking annoying sometimes. Scratch that, its _all the time_  but its okay, ten himself is annoying as hell too. According to yuta, that's their  _charm._

"well i just feel like saying hello to him so...." ten trailed off, getting flustered and didn't know what to say next, because he really didn't want yuta to know that he's nervous and couldn't do it alone without being a stuttering mess but no way ten going to say that right? Pride is important! 

Yuta raised his eyebrows, feeling amused, but he didn't know where's this going so he just kept quiet and waiting for the thai to continue his hanging sentence.

"since you never see him before, so why not bring you along? Who knows we could expand our bubble of friends," Ten flashed his megawatt smile to yuta, feeling satisfied that he went smooth.

Yuta raised his eyebrows for the second time, and he's sure as hell that his face looked epic at that time, "man, you know you sound weird right?" yuta squinted his eyes in suspicious at ten, he couldn't brain the younger at all, but not like he cares, so he just shrugged it off, "do what you want, all i need right now is hansol and _bed._ "

Ten scrunched up in disgust and rolled his eyes to the back of his head over yuta's remark, causing the the older to laugh out loud. Ten couldn't help but laughing along with the boy, — feeling himself started to loosen up a bit.

"oh its here!" yuta exclaimed when he saw the bus they're waiting for was coming, — suddenly he sounds excited. Ten didn't know if the older was excited to go back to the dorm because he missed his bed or he's excited to finally meet  _the boy_  that had been ruining his roommate's sanity.

Both of them went inside the bus. And again they're lucky the bus only had few passengers, not too crowded, just nice.

Yuta really didn't know which one was the boy, — which seat was he's sitting at, and most importantly  _where should he sit?_ Sensing yuta's confusion, ten gestured yuta to sit right infront of the seat ten usually sit.

Ten sat down on his usual seat, — suddenly his palms were sweating, and he could hear his heart was pounding in his ears. Ten didn't know why his body and heart was reacting like that, he really didn't know why. Guess he's just really anticipating this.

Ten glanced at the boy beside of him, — the boy was typing something on his phone, with his hood up, covering half of his side profile and his fringe was framing his face, _beautiful._

Ten quickly shook his head, chasing those ridiculous thoughts away out from his mind.

To be honest, the boy next to him looked like he got thick walls that separating him from his own world with the real one, and that nobody could break that. His vibe also screamed, _"don't disturb me, don't try to talk to me."_

And ten was really intimidated by that, wow. Its really not ten to feel intimidated by anybody, — actually being a nervous wreck like this wasn't him either. The normal ten was loud, sassy and super friendly. A flirt too. But now, he even brought yuta with him, oh _shit._ He's sure wasn't being himself at that moment.

Ten shifted his gaze to yuta and  _oh_ did he saw a smirk on the japanese's face? Guess he's seeing thing. Yuta showed him a fighting-gesture, encouraging ten to break the thick walls _the boy_  had around him.

It would look silly and cheap if ten straight away said hello and asked the boy what's his name is, — of course ten wouldn't do it in easy way. Ten pretend like he _accidentally_ dropped his phone to the floor, and the phone landed so safely on the floor really near with the boy's feet and of course ten couldn't take his phone by himself, except if he's a creep that likes to invade people's personal space.

 _Ah damn, the phone fell with a loud thud though,_ ten was lowkey praying for his phone's health.

"here," The boy said — giving ten his phone back after he picked it up from under him, he's facing ten and _revealing his face clearly for the first time._

To say ten was taken aback was an understatement. That was the first time he clearly see the boy's face _that close_ , and heard his voice. Ten didn't expect him to sound that soft and quiet. To be honest, he didn't know what he expected, but everything that's happening really leaving him rendered speechless. Ten didn't know what's with his feelings at that moment but it was a huge chaos inside of him, — his stomach was doing this stupid uncomfortable churning sensation, his heart skipped a beat before its beating so unhealthily fast and furious, he was scared for his heart's health for a second but,  _oh my god —_  ten was sure he's left with no hair.

"close your mouth, man i think even a grasshopper can hop inside there," yuta tsk-ed, sparing a glance at the boy before he facepalmed over his friend's embarrassing reaction.

The boy chuckled before he's handing the phone back to ten, which ten took it back gladly after he was brought back to the reality. "Oh thank you.." Ten slightly raised his eyebrow, signaling the boy to say his name.

"Taeyong." The boy said, taking down his hood to reveal more of his face to the world, — even yuta was slightly stunned at that.

"Oh yeah, thank you taeyong. My name's ten." Ten beamed at the boy named taeyong - offering a handshake. Taeyong extended his hand out to met ten's palm and shook it lightly. As their hands met, there's a wave of unknown emotion went through ten like a knee-jerk. They made a little eye staring contest, and  _damn_ taeyong's eyes are pretty, - its like a pair of a strong magnet that seemed to attract ten to stick at it.

"Nakamoto Yuta," Yuta offered his hand for a handshake to taeyong shamelessly, breaking the sweet moment of taeyong and ten while flashing his  _healing smile_ — but in ten's eyes especially at that moment, its more like a mock and a provoking smile; _really asking for a sidekick on the face._ Ten needed to restrain himself from actually doing that.

Taeyong broke the moment he's having with ten and faced yuta that was sitting infront of him, engaging into a friendly handshake, "Lee taeyong." He said in a friendly manner but with a hush voice.

"Wow you're actually alot nicer than i thought you would be," yuta said, even though he didn't sound all nice and polite but he meant what he said.

"Got that alot though." taeyong smiled at the two, he knew people always have bad first impression on him because of his cold and distant vibe, well we couldn't blame anybody for that.

"Its nice that you always wear your hood up," Ten said, grabbing taeyong's attention, "you shouldn't walk around looking fabulously  _hot_ like this."

Yuta swore with all his life that he didn't want to ride the same bus with ten anymore.

 

* * *

 

"Guess i'll see you tomorrow?" Ten said, as his stop was approaching.

Taeyong's heart fluttered because ten was actually anticipating to meet him again, "Yeah sure." He gave ten a small smile.

"okay then," Ten offered him a huge idiotic grin, "bye taeyong!" Ten and yuta said in unison, they exchanged quick bros handshake before they stood up and hopped off from the bus.

Taeyong quickly put his hood up again, before he's looking outside of the window, - waving a goodbye at the two.

After the bus started moving, to head to the next destination, taeyong pulled out his phone from his hoodie's pocket, resuming at what he had been doing awhile ago that was interrupted by ten, who accidentally dropped his phone.

Taeyong smiled at himself, remembering the cute boy named ten.

 

> **to; johnseo ;** **i finally got his name!! its ten.**

 


	3. Truth Hurts

Johnny's eyes widened at what he just read, he's been staring at his phone screen for a moment without a blink.

 

> **from ty ;** **i finally got his name!! its ten.**

 

Ten? As in  _his_ ten?? He was still staring at his phone in disbelief, felt kinda minblown because _shit shitshit_ ;— before he could reply to the message, somebody brought him back to the reality by a hard smack on the back of his head. Johnny quickly turned his head around, just ready to spit fire and cursed the shit out of the culprit but quickly shut up when hansol was staring at him with his resting bitch face, "i'm talking to you seo youngho are you even listening."

For a second johnny forgot that he was at his dorm, and was sitting beside hansol on the couch — listening to the older complaining about how tiring his day was.

Johnny winced at the calm tone the older was using, he could literally feel the heat behind those words, "sorry hyung i was- my mom sent me a message and i just yea,"

Johnny didn't know why he lied, it slipped out from his mouth just like that. He glanced at hansol that was still staring at him intensely, — the older was probably searching for a trace of lie, and he knew hansol caught him since johnny is actually quite bad in lying. No, actually he's not that bad, but hansol was the one that really good in these kind of thing, — so don't shove lies on his face.

"Spill."

 

* * *

 

"oh my god yuta," ten squealed, voice slightly cracking at the end because of the high pitch tone he was using.

"yeah i got it he looks like he just walk out from manga he's hot and all i know that," Yuta said without looking up from his phone, slightly slumped back on the chair he was sitting at the dining table in their dorm.

"i know right?? and-"

"don't you feel tired ten?? you've been talking about him since we went down from the bus until now which is already," Yuta paused to look up from his phone and made a brief eye contact with ten, — irritation was obvious in his voice, "3 hours." The japanese stick out his 3 fingers and showed it to ten with a very bored expression plastered on his face.

Ten ignored what yuta said and just continued ranting, "did you see how he-"

"nope"

"but i-"

"no"

"hey-"

Yuta raised his hand as a sign for ten to stop his ridiculous blabber.

"but yuta-"

This time yuta raised his foot and shove it on ten's face, "talk to my foot,"

Ten let out a high pitch scream in frustration before he started to swear and talking in a crazy pace of thai about how yuta need to stop being annoying.

Yuta fought back in intense japanese.

 

* * *

 

Johnny didn't forget how the older was looking at him with sympathy when he was spilling everything to hansol about taeyong and ten. Johnny swore he hated the feeling of being sympathize by other people, "hyung its okay i'm totally fine, don't look at me like that."

To which hansol didn't reply anything after.

Lee taeyong and Johnny Seo. They're bestfriends since primary school, — not just that but they're also a partner in crime. They're the rebellious pair that never failed to give everyone around them a migraine. Even though they're really opposite of each other, but they just clicked, — the two always sticking together even until highschool, but the world was jealous and didn't want them to be together forever. They ended up separating from each other after they get accepted into different colleges, but even until now the duo still hanging-out often, they'll just meet everytime they're free.

At first, it was hard for johnny to adjust with the new life when taeyong wasn't there.

Johnny really loved to be surrounded with a group of close friends or atleast somebody close with him, so he felt awful and extremely lonely when he needed to go throughout the first few weeks of starting a new life in college without somebody he's comfortable with. Sure, finding friends weren't that hard for the tall boy, since his social skills are high, but to find the real new one that will eventually wake up in the middle of the night just to join him to go for a donut-hunting at 3AM in the morning just because johnny was craving for it wasn't easy, — that kind of friend is super rare and hard to find especially in this century.

Johnny still remembered the first day he moved into his new dorm. It was terrifying to remember, to be honest. His roommate was an introvert giant that looks like pepe the frog, and what's worst was he never say anything welcoming to the chicago boy; he just stared at johnny with those scarily big eyes and never really used his mouth to talk. It took time for hansol to finally be nice with johnny and stopped treating the younger as a stranger. He knew hansol had heard his sniffles followed by his choked sob in the middle of the night while having a phone call with taeyong, — ranting at the shorter about how much he missed his comfort zone, his friends; his country especially.

But everything changed after he met this one boy whom now he called bestfriend.

It was one normal boring day at college, and it was the lunch time when johnny started to feel like a giant loser because he had nobody to accompany him eating. He busied his mind by mentally counting his assignments and planned about what to do once he's back to the dorm, while eating his double cheese burger — but he stopped abruptly at whatever he was doing when somebody took the empty spot infront of him, smiling so brightly to johnny without any trace of shame on the boy's face.

"now now, look who we have over here," the boy said like he already knew johnny for years when he obviously not, "how come a hottie like you is eating alone," he chuckled, — eyes smiling along. Even though it was obvious that the shorter boy with what seemed like a million of piercings on his ears, was flirting harmlessly with him, it still made johnny taken aback. He was completely caught off guard, because that was the first time somebody ever approached him in  _that_ way, — never in johnny's life to expect that, not when he's in that hell hole he called college.

The boy with a cute pointy nose sure was a huge flirt but he gave out a sweet and bubbly vibe, — radiating so strong around him, "My name's ten, whats yours?"

Johnny guessed he _finally_ met the one that could kept up with his craziness, "Johnny seo."

Johnny's phone that was placed flat on his chest ringed loudly, — he was slightly startled by the sudden noise that interrupted his little throwback moment. He took his phone and look at the caller id, — a small frown encasing his features before he sat up on his bed and answered the call.

"Hey whats up" Johnny greeted.

" _Hi johnny~"_ ten's voice was heard on the other line — he sing-song johnny's name cutely.

Johnny's tight frown was gone; immediately replaced by a wide lovestrucken grin and he had to bite his lip to avoid his childish giggle from slipping out. Ten sure had a special effect on him.

"What do you want tennie," johnny said in a low and hush voice, smiling even wider when he heard ten chuckled; probably because of the mention of his own nickname.

_"Nah i just feel like listening to your sexy voice,"_ ten said playfully. Johnny knew ten is a very cheesy, flirty and a sweet talker type but he couldn't help it when his heart skipped a beat at what he just heard. He didn't even know if ten really meant what he said or its just an empty flirt, which was a heartbreaking thing if johnny thought about it deeply.

Johnny slowly went back to lay down on his bed, eyes lingering around on the white ceiling while his mind was full with the shorter that was talking on the other line. His fingers unconsciously twirled around his long fringe while smiling to nothing but just ten's voice alone.

He listened to everything ten talked, without interrupting the thai boy, — but when ten went to the thing he  _actually_  wanted to talk, johnny tensed.

_"i went back home with yuta hyung today and we both met the boy and i got his name!! its taeyong though, what a cute name. man im telling you he's unreal as fuck like how come somebody can be damn attractive like that?? seriously is this how love feels like???"_

That was when the reality slapped johnny right on the face,  _hard._ All these while he was just believing on false hopes the younger shoved on his face, he didn't even know why but he just let himself believing on something so pointless, when he knew ten couldn't even see him on _that_ way. Johnny already couldn't focus at anything ten was talking about, — he was too busy in trying to hold back his tears. His heart hurts so bad especially when the realisation hit him like a truck because everything now was _too late_ and hopeless. Johnny felt like he would breakdown right then and there when that thought seemed to linger around longer than it _usually does_ but he needed to control himself.

There's a huge pang of jealousy that he could painfully felt when ten, _again_ couldn't stop talking about taeyong. Its even more painful now when he realised its his bestfriend - _taeyong_ who ten was drooling at. The cute squeal the younger let out every now and then,  _oh,_ how he wished he's the reason of those squeals.

" _we didn't eat together today, sorry i was so busy,"_  The younger paused, taking a moment to continue. But the next thing that came out from ten's mouth just worsened the older's vulnerable condition, — it was something johnny really wished ten didn't say _at that time,_ not when ten friendzoned him,  _"d_ _ude, i miss you though."_

Johnny quickly fled out of his room and ran to the living room, in desperate attempt to find hansol, because he really couldn't do this anymore. He bite back his whimper hard enough that he could feel blood in his mouth but he didn't care. Tears trickling down his face like a waterfall as he felt his inner self crumbling down at every step he took — at this point it was so hard to hold back already. He couldn't hung up out of a sudden because that's just rude and he  _cared_ about the other's feeling so he didn't do it that way.

He finally found hansol was sitting on the kitchen counter while playing with his phone. Johnny didn't care if hansol see him in this state. Desperation was eating him alive when ten kept on calling out his name on the other line but he couldn't say anything because johnny was sure once he opened his mouth, he would've broke down into a loud wail.

Johnny quickly ran to hansol and shoved his phone to his hyung before he made a quick gesture; _"help me cover this up."_

Hansol was so shocked and stunned to see johnny like that — the fresh tears that kept on rolling down his cheeks, face was red and swollen, and those pair of bloodshot eyes that were holding a shaky eye-contact with hansol, just made the older even more speechless. But seeing the desperation on the younger's face, he quickly rescued him, "hey ten, i'm sorry but johnny....." hansol's voice trailed off as his eyes followed johnny as the younger was walking to the toilet and disappeared inside it after he slammed the door shut, - hansol was sure ten could hear it, "he got emergency you know — stomach not in the good condition." Hansol said it seriously, as if its really happening, but honestly he just felt kinda irritated at ten because he's the cause of johnny to be like that but he tried his best to shoo those feeling away,  _because its not like ten knew about all these._

_"Ah really? well i will hang up now then,"_ he paused midway before continued, _"please take care of him, he get sick so easily."_  a sigh could be heard from the other line and hansol just hummed and said a stiff goodbye before he quickly ended the call, and went to check on johnny.

"Johnny, come out!" Hansol banged onto the toilet's door for a few times, anxiety grew as he felt the clock ticking painfully slow.


	4. Can't Help Myself

Hansol couldn't forget how broken johnny was the whole day after the incident. He didn't think the younger's heart would heal anytime soon, — hansol couldn't even imagine himself if that ever happened to him, he might have gone crazy due to the heartbroken.

"Hansol?"

Hansol was snapped out of his trance of thoughts when yuta waved his hand infront of hansol's face in attempt to call the older back to the earth.

Yuta's hand slowly made its own way to hansol's one and slipped in between them, — intertwining their fingers together and the smaller squeezed it slightly, in which hansol returned with a loving smile; liking at how yuta's small hand fit perfectly with his, "are you okay? you seem abit off lately."

He heard yuta asked, — voice all soft and gentle, as if he was persuading hansol's worries to get out from the taller's head.

"Have you ever involved in a one-sided love?" Hansol asked, staring into yuta's adorable pair of eyes that hansol loved alot.

Yuta was taken aback at that question, he really didn't expect that coming. He slowly retracted his hand out from hansol's grasp, pretending to be, and look dramatic which got hansol looking back at him with confusion. 

"are you- are you liking somebody else?"

Hansol's eyes widened as big as they could at what his boyfriend just asked, — the sad look yuta was giving him at that moment just made hansol want to stab himself, oh shit.

"No yuta!! thats not what i mean!" Hansol exclaimed, — for somebody that usually act quite and calm, it was sure a sight to see when hansol exclaimed like that, with his voice slightly raised in panic. "oh my god how can i like somebody else??" The older asked in disbelief, — he said that more like to himself than to yuta.

A huge grin spread across yuta's face before he burst into a fit of laughter, "You should've seen your face!"

Hansol stared at yuta with disbelief, because he thought the younger was seriously doubting him. Frown was obvious on the older's face and he pursed his lips into a thin line, "not funny yuta."

The younger slowly calmed down from his laughter and looked up, — once yuta's gaze was fixed on the older, his gaze softened and his heart immediately melt into a puddle, "aye sorry," Yuta stopped walking before he grabbed hansol's wrist to make the taller stopped and faced him. Yuta brought his hands to hansol's face and gently smoothen the frown on his lover's brows before he squished hansol's cheeks together, turning his boyfriend to a squishy fish, "why are you so cuteeeeee" the japanese cooed, before he tiptoed and pecked hansol's lips, a loud gross noisy kiss that sounded like a vacuum machine could be heard on the empty street. Yuta stood up straight on his feet again and was satisfied to see a soft shade of pink dusted on hansol's cheeks.

"smile baby smile," yuta said before he placed his index fingers on the end of hansol's lips and curved them up slightly, "you're the cutest when you smile." yuta giggled slightly when he saw hansol finally smiled for real.

It had taken all of hansol's self-control not to kiss yuta senseless right then and there because  _damn_ yuta looked so small _so tempting_ and _so_ cute in hansol's eyes at that moment, — and that wide grin with his twinkling cute eyes weren't helping at all.

"oh and about the one-sided love, no, not really." Yuta shook his head, indicating that he never got into that horrible situation, "because you're my first love." Yuta finished, voice went softer at that last sentence, — locking his gaze with hansol and he gave the older one of his genuine smile that could drive anybody crazy.

Hansol could feel his sanity started to slip away, just as fast as how his heartbeat was racing at what he just heard.

Yuta let out a yelp of surprise when hansol slammed him against the nearest wall, — hands snaking around yuta's waist to bring the smaller closer as hansol pressed their bodies together. The younger chuckled slyly;  _knew he just pressed the right button_ , — before he threw his arms around hansol's neck and locked their lips together.

What is self control when yuta is around? Hansol thought.

 

* * *

 

Ten was in his english class, — eyes were deadly staring on the whiteboard but mind was wandering somewhere else. More like to _someone_ else. He couldn't help but to feel extra giddy at the thought of meeting taeyong again. The night before, he couldn't sleep because his brain was too active to shut down, and it was irritating to be honest, because he got an early morning class on the next day.

Ten sighed over nothing, he was getting more and more fidgety as the thai boy kept on glancing at his watch then back again to the whiteboard then back again at his watch to check the time and mentally counting down how many minutes left until he could get out from this shitty lesson to end his boring day.

Ten was so close to flip his table because he still had 30 minutes until he's officially dismissed.

 

* * *

 

Taeyong on the other hand was having history class — it was his last class of the day and his mind was so occupied by the smaller boy with a cute pointy nose named ten.

Taeyong pretend like he was taking notes from what his teacher was explaining about, but the reality wasn't as nice as that. He actually was doodling the whole page of his notebook with ten's name including all those gross love emojis and he even doodled a chibi ten. He did it unconsciously, — it seems like his hand got it own mind, how interesting.

The bell rang loudly, startling taeyong that was lost in his own world but when he realised what it mean by that bell, he grinned widely, feeling excited as ever. Taeyong quickly stood up from his chair and shoved everything inside of his bag before he fled to his locker.

Taeyong opened his locker and dumped all the books that he thought wasn't necessary to bring back home, making sure his bag was light enough before he took a long bar of toblerone and placed it safely inside of his bag. Taeyong slammed his locker shut, he didn't mean it to bang out so loud like that, but that wasn't important right now. He quickly ran down the hallway, all smooth and fast until jung jaehyun, — his roommate was shouting from afar, "where you going why so in rush??"

"bus date!"

Jaehyun shook his head in amusement, a proud-dad-grin plastered on his face. "goodluck!!"

Taeyong shouted a quick "thanks!" and waved a goodbye even though he's already far from jaehyun.

 

* * *

 

Ten finally was released from the hell hole. He waited for the bus under the bus stop, alone today. He was playing with his phone, trying to distract himself from the building anticipation. But the phone didn't help anything, so he tried thinking about his day. It was one boring day, because johnny was  _busy_ with his last minute group project and the taller didn't even have time to eat together with ten on the recess time. Both yuta and hansol didn't come to college, and ten didn't know the reason why they didn't come today. Ten was all alone the whole day, and he really felt like a lonely loser he actually was.

Ten rolled his eyes when realisation hit him, it was obvious the couple was going out on a date. Ten was sure they're going to a lame ramyeon date, — until now he didn't know why they like to hang around on the convenience store and eat lots of ramyeon together and call it a sweet date. Sometimes yuta will go to hansol's dorm and the older will cook a huge pot of ramyeon for them to eat it together, and again, call it a _sweet indoor date_. But ten clearly still remember what yuta said when ten asked about it,  _"what thing you do isn't important, its the one with who you're with, is important."_

Very gag-worthy but it is so true.

Ten was brought back to the reality when the bus he was waiting for, finally showed up. He could feel his heartbeat was starting to pick up and drumming loudly on the inside, in anticipation as he saw the bus pulling infront of him, and when the door opened, ten took a deep breath before he stepped inside and was ready to meet the person that made him stayed sane to go throughout the day.

Ten as usual scanned his bus-card before his eyes quickly roamed around to search for the hoodie boy.

He almost let out a loud sigh in relief, when he saw taeyong was there on his usual spot, — waving at ten, with a shy smile on his face and ten really had the urge to lunge to taeyong and smother him with kisses but of course, ten still left with few percent of sanity in him, and he's thankful that it still there.

The thai boy immediately made his way to take a seat beside taeyong before the bus started to move, "hi taeyong~" ten said, offering the boy beside him a huge blinding smile — eyes crinkled into crescent moons, and taeyong needed to restrain himself from fanboying out loud infront of ten.

"hey ten," taeyong said while taking down his hood, "how was your day today?"

"it was boring! my friends didnt come today and i was so lonely and i ate alone and i feel like a loser and lessons were boring as hell,"

Taeyong listened as ten continued ranting about how horribly boring his day was, chuckles kept on slipping out from taeyong's mouth every now and then because ten looked so _so_ adorable talking with wild hand gestures and his cute accent, —taeyong felt so lost in his own world. He couldn't help but stared dreamily at ten —  _oh how i wish he's mine._

"how about yours??" Ten asked before he turned his head to the side and he swore the way taeyong looked at him sent a low grunt vibrating through his body. He had to swallow them and stopped himself from letting it out loud.

Taeyong was sitting lazily with his side pressed against the seat and his head rested on the chair, those big shiny eyes were looking straight into ten's soul and  _oh god_ taeyong better said something before ten really lost control of himself and said something he would regret.

"mine was boring too." taeyong pouted slightly and ten could feel his sanity was starting to ruin.

Ten groaned in frustration because  _damn_ , "yeah college sucks alot." _g_ _ood job in covering yourself,_ ten thought.

Taeyong nodded at that and the 15 minutes bus ride was filled with the two lovesick teenagers exchanged details about each other.

 

 

 

 

"oh so you're from thailand??" Taeyong asked, after ten told him about his background and his full name that taeyong was sure he didn't catch it. Ten nodded, before he started to tell a little bit about bangkok, and his favourite place, paragon. Taeyong stared at ten with awe in his eyes—no wonder ten got a weird cute accent.

"Oh! and i'm older so call me oppa." 

Ten stared at taeyong who was wearing a straight face, — the younger slightly raised his eyebrows, feeling amused at that but before he could say anything, taeyong broke into a fit of giggles, "i'm kidding."

"damn i just about to consider." ten said playfully, a sly grin plastered on his face, and that remark just got ten a weak punch on his arm from the older.

After a moment of talking, they both shared a comfortable silence — lost in their own thoughts until ten remember something he _needed_ to do.

Ten dug out his phone from his back pocket and unlocked it, before he shoved his phone into taeyong's hand. Taeyong gave him a questioning look but he chuckled quietly after he looked at the phone. There's a dialing keypad on the screen, — ten was asking for taeyong's number.

"You're such a flirt," Taeyong said, shaking his head but a grin was there on his face, while typing his number quickly, "a cute one at that." the older chuckled at his own lame attempt in flirting. He saved his number in ten's phone before he ringed himself and after he felt his phone vibrating in his back pocket, he gave the phone back to its owner.

"only with you," ten shot back, a strong one he guessed, because he could see taeyong smiled shyly in return and not to forget the faint blush on taeyong's cheeks that made ten's heart bloomed with flowers.

Taeyong noticed ten's stop was approaching so he didn't waste any time and quickly fished something from inside of his bag, "oh wait i have something-," he said, attracting attention from the thai boy beside him. Taeyong took the toblerone chocolate out of his bag and gave it to ten, "for you." He said half-whispered, eyes darting everywhere because he couldn't bring himself to hold an eye contact with ten, — confidence drastically went down to the deepest ocean. Taeyong was scared ten would say he's weird.

But all of his fears flew away when he heard ten was squealing in delight with a cute expression on his face, — he looked like a toddler who just got his favourite toy.

"oh my god toblerone is my favourite chocolate!!!!!" ten fanboyed, because 1) taeyong gave him a chocolate 2) taeyong gave him his favourite chocolate 3) taeyong gave him a toblerone. Ten took the chocolate with a happy wide grin on his face before he side-hugged taeyong which got the older froze on the spot but he quickly regained himself, and replied; "oh really? its my favourite too! i bought alot and i think it would be nice to give you one?" Taeyong beamed, feeling good because ten overappreciated the toblerone he gave.

The truth was, taeyong only bought one specially for ten.

"thank you so much, hyung!!" Ten said happily, and taeyong's heart leapt at what he just heard. The way ten called him _hyung_ sounded so cute and adorable, "no problem."

The bus stopped, when it arrived at ten's destination. He quickly went down from the bus and waved at taeyong from outside the bus, — ten honestly looked like an excited embarrassing child because he was waving with his toblerone high on the air, oh my. If yuta was there, he sure will get a hard smack on the back of his head from the japanese.

Taeyong giggled at that, while waving back at the younger before the bus went ahead and ten was out of his sight, again.

Taeyong pouted, its just a few seconds the younger was gone, and now he missed ten already.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WHERES MY YUSOL SHIPPERS AT


	5. Love?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "What is love?"

Taeyong sipped his hot coffee quietly, while scrolling down his twitter, treasuring his rest time but his morning peace was suddenly interrupted by somebody when a dinged was heard, signaling a message was in — it was from his life ruiner, who else if not ten.

 

> **from ten ( ˘ ³˘)♥ ;** **good morning taeyong! have a nice day ahead~**

 

Taeyong's heart fluttered at the simple message as he stared down his phone with a smile playing on his lips. He rarely got a 'have a nice day ahead' from anybody and to get it from ten, that was something he never hoped for. It made his day and taeyong sure he'll survive his saturday with happiness.

 

> **to ten ( ˘ ³˘)♥ ;** **you too, and don't skip breakfast :3**

 

Taeyong quickly type those and sent the text to ten.

Again, his morning peace was interrupted but this time by a real life _night_ ruiner, — his roommates.

"Whats with that smile you look creepy," doyoung took a seat on the high stool which was facing taeyong.

Taeyong shot him a glare, he just about to open his mouth to say something but jaehyun came from behind doyoung, "good morning hyung." he greeted taeyong, arms wrapping around doyoung protectively as if he sensed taeyong was just about to spit fire at his _precious_ boyfriend. Jaehyun hunched down a little bit to kiss doyoung's temple before he whispered something in a hush manner that got doyoung giggled like a schoolgirl. 

_Gross._

"So how was your ten? any progress?" Jaehyun asked after he took a seat beside doyoung.

"Well, he asked for my number? so yeah, i gave him a chocolate and guess what? the chocolate i gave him was actually his favourite chocolate brand so he's like so happy about it."

"Daebak!!" Doyoung clapped sarcastically, "you should give him something else next time."

"Like what?" Taeyong asked, interested with the upcoming idea.

"Yourself?"

Jaehyun's booming laugh could be heard echoing throughout the kitchen and the only thing taeyong could do was rubbing his temple as the irritation was making its way to his head and stomping hard against his skull.

Taeyong stood up, ready to get out from the annoying situation. He walked slowly heading to his room, "I heard two cats mating so loudly yesterday oh god my night was ruined." Taeyong said out loud, slightly frowning.

"Those _cats_ will transform into wolves tonight." Doyoung said casually, which got jaehyun chuckled slyly.

"Thanks for the warning i'm going to stay at taeil's tonight." Taeyong groaned.

 

* * *

 

"yuta!!" Ten shouted when yuta was showering.

"what."

"i'm hungry."

no answer.

 

 

 

"yuta!!" Ten shouted again from the living room, calling out for yuta who was locking himself inside of his room.

"what??"

"lets watch anime-"

"not interested."

 

 

 

"yuta?" ten knocked on yuta's door for a few times until finally yuta opened the door.

He gave ten one of his tightest resting bitch face that got ten almost winced and regretted to even call out for him. The japanese must be having a rough day.

"lets eat-"

"not hungry." yuta said, almost sounded like he was growling at the younger before yuta slammed the door on ten's face which got ten closed his eyes shut and tensed up under the indirect wrath.

 

 

 

"YUTA!" Ten yelled from the living room.

"YOU BETTER SHUT UP-"

"hansol hyung came-"

Yuta quickly went out of his room, and after he saw hansol who was awkwardly standing on the living room, his urge to flip was a little bit controlled.

The japanese made his way to his giant boyfriend, — he welcomed hansol with a tight hug, head buried against the taller's chest, and yuta couldn't help but smiled when he felt hansol's heart was thumping hard on the inside.

"ten called me and he said you don't sound okay. Now tell me whats wrong? anything happened?" Hansol asked quietly, voice laced with concern — he's looking down at the head that was buried on his chest, whispering things that couldn't reach ten's ears. Yuta shook his head but stayed silent, — didn't know what to say.

"wow you actually can make yuta keep quiet and stay still like that?" ten interfered, finger pointing at yuta that was latching on hansol. "hyung is this a magic because wow how you do that."

Hansol chuckled over what ten said, the taller slightly ruffled yuta's hair before he securely wrapped his arms around the smaller's frame.

"Love could bring out your softest side."

 

* * *

 

"what is love?"

Taeyong asked his bestfriend; johnny. They're hanging out doing nothing but a deep talk on the side of han river. Both teenagers were staring at the calm wavy river infront of them, — it was one breezy saturday evening at the han river.

"Love?" Johnny asked, and taeyong just hummed, as if he's encouraging johnny to state his opinion.

"Love is when you see the person and your heart is going crazy and beating wildly, its like your heart screams for that person. Love is when you're having a rough day but when you see him, your heart melt and all your worries and hard feelings gone. You will want to do everything you afford just to see his pretty smile again, you will do crazy things that you never done before, for the sake of his happiness. Even willing to hear him talking about something nonsense, even if it takes the whole day. You wont mind, trust me. He'll have a little control over your emotions too."  Johnny said, stopping midway as he gulped down his coke.

"Love isn't always beautiful. Its actually something very dangerous but we, humans always crave for it. Love doesn't mean you'll have him and call him yours. It doesn't always end up beautifully like that. You couldn't promise a 'forever' to him too because nothing lasts forever. At the end of the day, there must be something that would separating us from our lover. Cheat? Betrayal? Fell out of love? Death? Anything could happen, you'll never know. But, love could be beautiful if you found someone that really meant for you." Johnny finished, eyes glossy and his heart was in pain, but he already reached that level where he thought he's wasting his tears for somebody wasn't right. Harsh truth.

Taeyong was stunned than ever to hear that kind of emotional thing to come out from his bestfriend's mouth.

"Johnny?" Taeyong called out, putting down his coke on the side before he shifted his attention to johnny. "you sound broken....?"

"I am." Johnny sighed, still looking at the river infront of him with an empty expression.

"Why what happened??" taeyong asked, felt slightly surprised because johnny never told him anything about it so taeyong didn't expect this.

"Well, i like this one guy but he likes someone else. i never confess to him, but he told me about that guy he likes _everyday._  Its like he wanna say that i have no hope to even make a move on him even though he never know my feelings. He friendzone me and somehow it feels worser than get rejected." Johnny wanted to say that the guy he likes, liking his own bestfriend who was sitting beside him but he let the word stuck on the tip of tongue. Not now, johnny thought.

Taeyong's face softened, realising his bestfriend was going through a hard time and taeyong wasn't there for him. He rubbed johnny's back gently, showing his concern. Taeyong wasn't good in comforting with words, actions speak louder in this case. He hugged johnny from the side tightly, as if he's trying to tell the taller boy that he'll always listen and be there if johnny needs him.

Johnny chuckled dryly before he patted taeyong's head that was placed on his shoulder, — signaling that he's okay before he slightly tilted his head to rest over taeyong's, — he needed a comfort right now.

"I don't think to tell you to move on is the best advice for now." taeyong mumbled, feeling guilty because he didn't know how to comfort johnny but he tried.

"Yeah its not," the taller whispered, eyes still lingering on the view infront of them, before he shifted his eyes to look at the bridge across the river that was having a traffic jam, "but i'm willing to let him go if  _that_ guy he likes, can make him happy."

They stayed like that for a moment,—gloomy atmosphere accompanied the two, with the wind that kept on blowing gently, and the distant horn from the bridge that came from cars and trucks could be heard. Johnny felt better now after he told taeyong about it, even though he didn't spill everything clearly but he felt like his burden and pain lifted by a little bit off of his shoulders. The taller let out a deep sigh. He realised life wasn't all about love.

Friendships are far more important. He loved taeyong, he loved ten. They're both the closest persons he had in life, so to lose them because of his stupid feelings, wasn't a good idea at all.

"Taeyong?" Johnny called, voice hushed.

"Hm?"

"Appreciate him."

Taeyong didn't know who was johnny talking about but his heart twisted with guilty for no reason.

"I will."

 

* * *

 

Hansol brought yuta back to his dorm, they're probably having a healing time right now. Ten felt bad for not treating yuta properly, he knew yuta had been through alot these days, feeling pressured and stressed yet all he could do was being an annoying roommate.

Ten was once again feeling like a lonely loser. His dorm was empty, and the only thing that could be heard was the sound of tv echoing throughout the house. He blasted the volume to make himself felt occupied with the tv show that wasn't even interesting. Ten sure enjoyed to be home alone, but now wasn't one of those moments when he truly enjoying it. He's already reaching that phase where he felt  _extremely_ lonely.

As the time flies, ten fell asleep on the couch, hugging his patrick plushie while spongebob was placed under his head.

 

* * *

 

Johnny pressed his floor number, 15th.

He looked at the shorter boy who was standing beside him and snickered at the sight of taeyong fidgeting and being all nervous. Johnny literally dragged the stubborn taeyong all the way to his place because he wanted to introduce taeyong to hansol. One thing people didn't know about taeyong was, he hated meeting new people. Johnny didn't need to ask taeyong why he didn't like it because the reason was obvious. Sometimes johnny had a problem to understand taeyong's critical level of insecurities but he knew that nervous feeling and scared of being judged,— first impressions never be fair to taeyong either.

"Okay we're here!"

Johnny grabbed taeyong's wrist before they stepped out from the elevator and went to johnny's dorm.

Once they both arrived infront of the dorm's door, johnny quickly punched in the security code before he swung the door open with an excited grin but the view that greeted his sight made him squeaked, "sorry wrong house!" Johnny closed the door shut before he turned to face taeyong that was looking at him with wide eyes.

"oh god i need holy water," johnny cursed in both languages while covering his eyes with his hand, "oh my god how to unsee that."

Taeyong wanted to laugh but he stayed silent, he's lucky he just saw a glimpse of it and _oh wasn't that yuta?_

Johnny continued on mumbling things taeyong couldn't understand and something like _"sorry for that hansol hyung is busy we'll meet him next time,"_ — he just about to ask johnny to come to his dorm, he could even stay there overnight if he wants but was interrupted by the taller, "okay now lets go to my second dorm." He said, and again sounded excited.

"second dorm?"

"oh, you know what i mean." Taeyong frowned at this, the feeling of didn't know where he was going to, was really disturbing to taeyong.

They went inside the elevator again, and this time johnny pressed the 8th floor button.

"whose dorm?"

"ten's dorm." Johnny said casually.

Taeyong's eyes widened in surprised, his heart skipped a beat at ten's name, speechless and panic mixed together inside of him.

Johnny laughed when he saw taeyong was looking at him with those panic-striken wide eyed face, and the taller couldn't help but laughed even harder when taeyong smacked his head. Even though the blow was strong enough to make him wince, — johnny didn't care and just laughed because his favourite lee taeyong is the panic lee taeyong.

"you owe me one day to explain all of this bullshit!!" taeyong yelled, but there's no heat behind his words, "the fuck???? im not ready i look ugly right now oh my g-"

Johnny pushed taeyong's head from the side with his index finger, "nonsense you look like you just came back from fashion show."

"i'm excited to see ten's reaction though," johnny paused to check on his watch, "he's probably napping right now. If you're lucky you'll get to see him shirtless." He snickered when he saw taeyong was blushing furiously.

They stepped out of the elevator and again, johnny dragged taeyong all the way to ten's dorm.

Taeyong raised his eyebrows when johnny casually punched in the security code of the dorm and the door opened. What kind of culture is this because he didn't even know taeil's dorm password. "you know his password?"

Johnny who was taking off his shoes snorted at the password reference, "kiddo we call it security code here, and yes hansol hyung knows it too. Ten and yuta knows ours too because we always crash into each other's dorm."

"wow that sounds fancy i don't do that with my friends-"

Taeyong just about to continue his culture shock rants but was cut off when he saw a sleeping figure who was lying on the couch, — the first thing greeted his sight once they went inside of the dorm.

"Aw taeyong look at him." Johnny cooed, eyes filled with adoration.

Taeyong's gaze softened, — all of his annoyance from just now and his insecurities gone completely, it were swept by the butterflies attack, wildly playing inside of stomach. His heart melted when he saw ten curling up on the couch, hugging the pink patrick plushie tightly, looked so peaceful and adorable, like a baby. Taeyong unconsciously smiled fondly over the sight infront of him.

"Go." johnny encouraged taeyong, gesturing the smaller to go to ten and wake him up. "He's a little bit hard to get up, sometimes will be cranky and quiet for a few hours after he wakes up but we'll see how it works with you." Johnny explained, talking in a hush manner.

Taeyong gulped, thinking about the worst possibility that would happen to him. Slowly, he made his way to the couch, crouching down to face the sleeping ten— the clear and close view of ten's face infront of him made taeyong's breath shortened.

"Tae, i'm going to pig out their food supplies," johnny informed quickly before he fled to the kitchen.

Taeyong's eyes followed johnny who was walking to the kitchen before his attention shifted back to the cute boy that was sleeping infront of him, and _again_ taeyong was shook.

He gently poked ten's cheek a few times, which got ten frowning in annoyance but it didn't make the younger conscious enough to open his eyes. "Hey ten, wake up."

Taeyong brushed the long fringe out of ten's eyes, before he gently shook the thai boy's arm,"Teeeeeen~" taeyong sing-song, in desperate to have the thai boy to wake up but his hope crashed when he heard ten grumbled in protest. Taeyong thought he's failed with the waking up task, but suddenly, ten's eyes fluttered open.

Ten frowned and blinked his eyes to adjust on the view infront of him. The smaller groaned in frustration before he wrapped his arms around taeyong's neck, —slurring his words with his sleepy hoarse voice, "i dont want to wake up from this dream." 

Taeyong's eyes almost bulged out and he could feel his face started to heat up.


	6. Ramyeon & Ice Cream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "There are so many beautiful reasons to be happy."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cringeworthy af

 

"i dont want to wake up from this dream."

Taeyong's eyes widened in surprised, his heart was beating so fast, like he just finished a marathon. He's so sure his face had the same colour as the patrick right now, _no,_ its probably redder than a tomato, he guessed.

 _oh my god what the hell is happening_ — taeyong thought, and the fact that ten's arms wrapping around his neck, and damn hot breath that tickled his neck just got himself almost gone crazy and he's already so closed to do something a sane lee taeyong wouldn't do.

"ugh he's doing it again." Johnny said, rolling his eyes over ten's behaviour.

Taeyong sent johnny a pleading gaze, wanted to get out from ten's arms as soon as possible because this is really testing his faith.

Ten let out an ugly shriek that almost made taeyong deaf when something ridiculously cold made contact with his warm arm before it went up rolling onto his neck.

"WAKE UP!!" johnny yelled while rolling the frozen sprite he just take out from the freezer, all over ten. But johnny knew the younger won't back down that easily, and oh god he's so _so_ stubborn johnny was so closed to smack the bottle over ten's head.

Last hope last way, johnny thought. He shoved the bottle underneath ten's shirt and the taller made a silly squid dance in victory when ten sat bolt upright and screamed at the top of his lungs while clutching onto his tummy.

Ten shot johnny his sharpest death glare before he started to yelled in high pitched thai and threw his spongebob with full force, aiming on the taller's face and oh, strike!

"wow man that was.... pretty intense," taeyong stared at the scene infront of him in disbelief and he could literally feel himself shrinking into a plankton size at the volume ten was using, not to forget how angry those thai sounded.

Ten turned his head around so fast it _almost_ hurt, — looking to where those hushed voice came from and his eyes almost popped out from it sockets because _oh shit oh sh–_ "what are you doing here???" Ten asked, surprised and totally caught off guard to see taeyong was there sitting on the floor for real.

"dude can you see him??" ten asked johnny in english,pointing at taeyong as he asked the taller.

"of course????" johnny shot ten a judgemental look.

Ten shifted his attention back to the poor boy infront of him. Ten squished taeyong's cheeks together, making the older transformed to a fish and it looked so funny that johnny laughed so hard while clapping like a seal, pointing with his index finger at taeyong in amusement because _oh god nobody ever did that to taeyong._

"oh shit you're really a real person not just my wild dream."

"what are you trying to say?"

"don't u dream of somebody you like?"  ten blurted out in a rapid english, and he knew taeyong wouldn't understand what he's saying, —completely clueless. And that's the reason why ten could say it out loud and sound calm enough to not get suspicious by taeyong, even though the truth wasn't as nice as that because ten honestly was _slowly_ losing his chill on the inside.

"sorry? i can't understand english." taeyong said, he shot ten a questioning look. He had no idea what the younger said, not even a clue.

"i said i'm hungry, so guys lets go find something to eat and _you_ ," ten pointed at johnny, "owe me an explanation about all these."

 

* * *

 

"yea i get kind of cranky when i first wake up," ten said, explaining about his after-wake-up condition. The thai boy sighed before he continued slurping on his spicy ramyeon.

Loud slurping sound that coming from the 3 teenagers could be heard inside of the convenience store. The three of them were sitting on the high stools, facing the glassy window.

The trio were eating in silence, stopping their conversation and just continued eating while watching the passerby who were walking on the outside, letting themselves lost in their own world.

Their peace was interrupted when yuta popped out from somewhere. The japanese pressed his face against the glass wall from the outside in the most gross way ever right infront of ten who was eating and the older really looked like a dying octopus, which got ten choking on his spicy ramyeon. Poor boy.

Taeyong was startled at first but he couldn't help it when he burst out laughing, joining johnny. Taeyong rubbed ten's back in attempt to make the younger stop choking and gave him his water, slightly laughing because _damn_ nobody expected that. They're really something.

Hansol came to the rescue when he saw ten was choking. The busan man enveloped his boyfriend into a loose headlock,—dragging the shorter all the way into the convenience store, with intention to join the ramyeon squad.

Taeyong watched as yuta and the tall guy who held him by the headlock made their way inside of the store, he wanted to ask johnny or ten who's that tall guy but he's too _lazy_ to open his mouth for asking, so taeyong just observed silently.

"hey taeyong didn't expect to see you around," yuta said, face was glowing with something taeyong _didn't_ know what's that, and taeyong _didn't_ want to know.

Yuta glanced at ten and gave the thai boy a sly grin.

Johnny on the other hand couldn't help but to scrunch up his nose when the incident of him walked in on them just now flashed inside of his mind. Hansol caught that and wiggled his eyebrows to his roommate mischievously.

"johnny brought me here." Taeyong said, offering the japanese a small smile before he shifted his gaze to the tall guy who was standing behind yuta. _In one glance, they kinda look alike_ — taeyong thought. Siblings? No way.

"I guess you're lee taeyong?" hansol asked, slightly raised his eyebrow in question and taeyong nodded at that, "hello there, I'm ji hansol, this doofus' boyfriend." Hansol tucked yuta under his chin. Hansol actually looked like a lost, innocent awkward giant puppy _atleast in taeyong's eyes_ but the protective and dominance vibe was radiating so strong around him. Johnny rolled his eyes to the back of his head at that,  _nobody wants your boyfriend,—_ johnny wanted to say that but he didn't want hansol's fist to kiss his face so he held back.

Yuta flashed his megawatt smile for the world to see how repaired and happy he was at the moment, "happy eating everybody!" with that the couple disappeared, finding their own ramyeon to eat.

"i guess he's more than okay now," ten said, slightly coughing because his throat still hurt and the fact that he's eating a spicy ramyeon, wasn't getting his throat any better.

" _very_ okay. I swear you didn't want know what we saw just now." johnny said, almost spitting out his saliva.

"they're cute though," taeyong blurted out, already shipping the couple silently.

"wait until you see yuta throws his thick ass korean dictionary to hansol's head." johnny snickered and ten choked for the second time out of laughter.

 

 

 

Johnny clapped his hands, an attempt to call for everyone's attentions, "so everybody has been asking me about whats my relationship with taeyong so let me explain."

Everyone just stared at him.

The chicago boy sighed dramatically before he started, "this guy right here," he pointed at taeyong, "is my bestfriend since i was 7."

 

"....."

"??????"

"you never tell us you have a bestfriend named lee taeyong!!"

"why you never tell me this taeyong is your friend"

"why he's in my dorm just now??"

"how can somebody ridiculously hot like this can be friend with someone like you??"

 

That last question got yuta, a burning stares from hansol and johnny. Yuta had never felt so small in his entire life, and now he's sitting in between johnny and hansol, which just worsened everything that already worst. "ok sorry." yuta squeaked.

This was why johnny hates explaining, especially to his friends. They really will bombard him with non-stop questions when he's not even done talking. Not only that but they'll even throw shades somewhere between those and he just so happened to be somebody that wasn't as patient as hansol.

The night continued, with johnny clearing everything up including telling them those little details about his old group of friends that he missed.

 

 

 

"ten do you have anything you want to buy before we get out from here?" Taeyong asked from beside ten, eyes scanning the colourful aisle from where he's sitting.

"hm," ten joined him gazing at the aisle, finger tapping against his chin while thinking if he wanted to buy anything, "toblerone will do!!" Ten said, beaming at taeyong, and the older could literally see stars inside of ten's eyes, _oh_ the child loves chocolate so much.

Taeyong get down from his high stool and went deeper inside of the store to search for something.

Ten was following closed behind, since he also wanted to find the thing he craved for.

 

 

 

"i'm paying." Taeyong said without looking at ten.

He just snatched the toblerone from ten's hand and raced to the cashier, with a tub of ice cream in his other hand. Ten raised his eyebrows feeling amused, a little bit speechless at that but quickly regained his composure and ran to the cashier, wanting to snatch back the chocolate but taeyong shield himself with his arm and pushed ten aside.

They both were making a loud noise in their little wrestle, laughing to no end while taeyong still struggling to pay, with ten wriggling stubbornly like a worm behind him.

Taeyong jumped in victory when he finally managed to pay.

"wooooo congrats taeyong that wasn't easy!!" yuta cheered at the back.

Ten hit taeyong's arm from the back, rolling his eyes because he just lose,—but a smile was there ghosting over ten's lips.

Taeyong smiled like a winner then gave ten the chocolate, "here."

"thank you."

 

 

 

"he's spoiling ten too much," hansol said, voice hushed.

"i know right!" yuta said, his hawk eyes still looking at those two.

The couple continued on gossiping about ten and taeyong quietly, acting like they're ten's parents,—while johnny just sat there at the corner and watched his two bestfriends quietly. It does hurt _a little bit_ , "yeah taeyong is like that. you see that ice cream?" Johnny butted in, pointing at the plastic bag taeyong was holding, "i guarantee he didn't buy that for himself."

 

* * *

 

It was 11 when taeyong finally came back to his dorm complex. It was one tiring and long day for him. He sighed tiredly before he stepped out from the elevator once it dinged—arriving at the 5th floor.

Taeyong took out his phone from his back pocket and quickly dialed taeil's number. Its on the second ring when the older finally picked up, "i'm coming to your heart~" taeyong sing-song playfully.

He heard his hyung chuckled on the other line, "okay, gonna open my heart right now."

Taeyong couldn't help but laughed when taeil followed the flow, its cutely awkward to hear those coming out from his hyung's mouth, "yeah okay." Taeyong hung up with a grin plastered on his face, the boy was completely in a good mood.

He saw taeil peek his head out from behind the door, checking if taeyong was there or not. Taeil waved at taeyong once he saw the younger was walking along the hallway, making his way to the older's dorm.

Taeil made a little space for taeyong to get inside, "what is that?" Taeil asked when he saw the plastic bag taeyong was holding.

"ice cream," Taeyong went to the living room, placing the ice cream on top of the small coffee table, "winwin!" taeyong called out, half-shouting since the younger was nowhere to be seen, most probably was inside of his room.

"yeah?" winwin replied, from inside of his room.

"i bought ice cream!"

Winwin fled out from his room, a blanket was wrapping around him from head to toes. "ice cream??" the youngest out of the three asked, a wide idiotic grin plastered on his face, and taeyong could literally see winwin's imaginary tail was wagging highly in happiness, he must be craving for it for _so long._

Taeyong chuckled at the adorable view infront of him. "yeah, go take 3 spoons we gonna have ice cream party tonight!"

Winwin then excitedly went to the kitchen to take what he's told.

"you spoil him too much taeyong." Taeil said, plopping onto the couch, "he caught a cold and is having a sore throat, you know that right?" a frown encasing taeil's features, contrasting with his soft but concerned voice.

"i know but," taeyong bit his lip, "ice cream is his medicine?" the younger grinned, trying his best to give his cutest puppy eyes,—wanting to escape from getting scolded. Sneaky.

Taeil sighed but a smile creeped on his face, "stubborn kids." he muttered under his breath, slightly shaking his head.

Winwin came back with two spoons on his left hand and one spoon on his right, he honestly looked so cute and purely excited that it got taeil's heart softened on the spot. The eldest sighed again, knowing he couldn't say no to these two. Winwin sat on the floor, and taeyong joining in before they officially begun wolving down the ice cream. The two looked like a pair of child in taeil's eyes at that moment. Taeil chuckled when winwin said _"so yummy!"_ with his broken korean, _adorable_ — taeil thought.

The eldest finally decided to give in—he slid down the couch and sat down on the floor, joining the duo.

"where did you go just now though?" taeil asked. Taeyong didn't tell him where he went the whole day, the younger only told him that he's staying for the night.

"meeting johnny and his squad." taeyong said, scooping a spoon of ice cream before he spared a glance at taeil who gave him a curious expression.

"you guys have been talking about that johnny guy alot like i don't even know how he looks like." Taeil said sulkily, slightly pouted, — probably felt left out since he's not coming from the same highschool like most of them were, and that's why taeil didn't know johnny.

"he has a big tummy, fat ass and uhm," winwin said, putting his spoon against his puckered lips, —finding the right word to describe johnny even though its already messed up even from the start, "he's just so big!"

"what big?" Taeil raised his eyebrows, surprised at the chosen of word.

"big," winwin made an exaggerate hand gesture about how _big_ johnny is.

taeyong laughed while looking at his adorable friend who was struggling to explain about johnny's size for taeil to understand.

"ah!! you mean tall??" taeil guessed, grinning widely when taeyong nodded at that.

Winwin blinked his eyes in confusion before he tightened the blanket that was wrapping around his frame, "oh, so the word is _tall._ "

Silence lingered around the dorm and it stayed there for a few seconds, as the teens made a little staring contest. They then broke into a fit of laughter with no apparent reason, laughing like they owned the world.

"hyung don't listen to him," taeyong said in between his laughter, "we'll meet them sooner or later because i've made plan with johnny."

Taeil grinned widely, clearly excited with the idea of meeting taeyong's bestfriend, and not to forget, to also meet the boy that had ruining his friend's sanity, ten. "man, i'm pumped."

"same!!" winwin lifted his spoon and waved it highly on the air, showing to the world that he's super excited too. "i want to meet that ten kid!"

"ten _hyung!"_   Taeyong scolded, but chuckled a second after when he saw winwin pouted over his own mistake.

Taeyong was happy his friends were feeling good and excited to meet ten in person because, if his friends like ten _everything_ would be easier.

 

A dinged could be heard coming from taeyong's phone, telling its owner that there's a message coming in.

 

> **from ten ( ˘ ³˘)♥ ;** **johnny missing you alrd man**

 

> **to ten ( ˘ ³˘)♥ ;** **johnny only?**

 

> **from ten ( ˘ ³˘)♥ ;** **johnny ft me ofc**

> **to ten ( ˘ ³˘)♥ ;** **tbh same miss you too**

 

> **to ten ( ˘ ³˘)♥ ;** **yall***

> **to ten ( ˘ ³˘)♥ ;** **well goodnight see u on monday**

 

> **from ten ( ˘ ³˘)♥ ;** **i see u r excited to see me alrd!! hahahdjafk ok bye goodnight ty**

 

> **to ten ( ˘ ³˘)♥ ;** **night ten**


	7. Sick but Crazy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> when a sick ty transformed into a koala and everybody became his branch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ft dojae

It was one of those days when taeyong felt like a piece of crap. The throbbing pain in his head seemed like it get worser in every second of his consciousness. Taeyong groaned in pain as he rubbed his temple, — an attempt to make the migraine slowed down but it didn't work, sadly.

He regretted the moment he opened his eyes because everything was spinning in his head and it was horrible. The sick boy decided to close his eyes, ignoring his annoying phone that was ringing loudly and forced himself back to sleep even though the headache wasn't going easy on him.

 

* * *

 

Ten finally dismissed from the tiring monday, and he felt like the happiest in the world the moment he stepped out from the college entrance.

As usual, ten went to the bus stop and waited patiently. Surprisingly, the bus came earlier than it usually does, not that ten complaining because the earlier the better.

Again, ten was pumped to meet taeyong so he quickly made his way inside of the bus, almost beaming at the driver but he held back because that'd look creepy.

The thai boy let his gaze roamed inside of the bus before it landed on taeyong's usual spot.

What greeted his sight totally popped all of his bubbles of hope and excitement. Taeyong's spot was _empty._

Ten went to take a seat at the place taeyong usually sit; by the window. His shoulders slumped forward in disappointment.

 _Maybe something came up??_ — ten started to make assumptions. The boy stayed like that for a few seconds before he decided to call taeyong.

Ten bit his lip, anxious because its already on the fifth rings and taeyong still not answering. He just about to give up but suddenly he heard a voice on the other line, finally picked up the call. 

_"hello?"_

Ten's face lit up at first but it quickly replaced with a frown of confusion when he realised the voice that answered his call wasn't taeyong's. 

"who?" Ten's voice trailed off, his curiosity shone.

_"oh i'm doyoung, taeyong's roommate. you're ten right?"_

"yeah. i'm sorry but can i talk to.... taeyong?" ten stammered, didn't know why but he felt embarassed. He could feel his face flushed when he heard the guy on the other line chuckled.

_"sorry to disappoint you, but taeyong is sleeping at the moment. he's sick though."_

"really??" the thai boy straightened his back, "o....kay then uhm, i wish he get well soon. Thanks for answering my call by the way," ten said politely, trying his best not to sound like he's freaking out.

_"no problem."_

They hung up a second after that. Ten sighed, concern washed over him. For a moment, ten thought he's silly because he's just nobody to taeyong to feel overly worried about the other. But he couldn't help it.

 

> **to johnseo;** **whr u at**

> **from johnseo;** **on ma bed**

 

Ten locked his phone before he shoved it back inside of his back pocket without bothering to reply. He leaned his head against the glass window, letting his eyes roaming on the outside.

 

 

 

Ten punched in johnny's dorm security code before he swung the door opened, and was greeted by hansol who was lazily sprawling on the couch, watching tv.

The older gave him a wide-eyed surprised expression, not expecting the uninvited visit.

"sorry hyung," ten grinned shamelessly, "just gonna borrow johnny." the thai boy fled to his bestfriend's room.

He hastily opened the room's door and _shit_ johnny was sleeping this gonna be hard.

Ten walked to johnny who was sleeping on his bed, violently shaking the older as ten started to blurt out things like _"your bestfriend is hella sick and your sleeping i cant believe this" "dude wake up we need to go there i cant just sit here!!!"_

johnny was so close to kick ten in the nuts because _oh god_ why this guy had to be so annoying, "god damn it ten i'm tired." johnny slurred almost incoherently.

"please johnny pleaseeee," ten jutted his lower lip, an attempt to look cute but failed terribly.

"ugh fucking hell," johnny cursed, pressing his face deep against his fluffy pillow, voice muffled. "i hate you so much."

"i love you too! now get your fatass up and change clothes, i'm waiting outside."

Johnny stayed silent as ten made his way out from his room, closing the door shut. He groaned in frustration because ten's meaningless i love you just did a _stupid_ thing to his heart.

"fucking stop racing."

 

* * *

 

Taeyong woke up and the familiar feeling of needy creeped into him, not to forget his feverish skin that felt too warm for his own comfort and the headache that still there accompanying him, but luckily it had slow down a little bit.

He slowly made his way out from his stuffy room, breathing the cool air on the living room felt nice to taeyong at the moment.

It was probably late afternoon by now because he heard a distant chatter voices that sure belonged to his roommates, the dumb and dumber.

Taeyong plopped on the couch, immediately latched himself to jaehyun as he hugged the younger's arm and rested his head on jaehyun's shoulder.

"aigoo, baby finally woke up." jaehyun cooed, slightly ruffled taeyong's hair, acting like he's older than the boy.

"does our baby want anything?" doyoung teased, a playful smile plastered on his face.

Taeyong just shook his head, didn't have energy to say anything as his migraine was making its comeback.

Doyoung changed his place from the single couch to sit beside taeyong. He put his hand over taeyong's forehead, checking the older's temperature. Doyoung shot jaehyun a worried look, mouthed a _'h_ _e's burning'_

Jaehyun pursed his lips into a thin line, thinking. To ask taeyong what he wanted wasn't a good idea because the older won't tell what he wanted, that's for sure.

The younger's face lit up when he remembered something. He quickly texted johnny.

 

> **to johnny;** **buy ty a painkiller and healthy food before u come here**

 

"oh by the way hyung," jaehyun broke the comfortable silence among them, "johnny is coming though."

Taeyong lifted up his head a little bit, looking at jaehyun, "really?" he mustered a weak smile.

"yeah and he's bringing ten along."

The sick boy hid his face on jaehyun's shoulder as he tightened his hold around the younger's arm, showing that he's  _shy._

"oh my god i'm jealous." doyoung said playfully. A chuckled slip out from doyoung's mouth when taeyong shifted and latched on him, side cuddled the bunny boy. Taeyong could feel his eyelids growing heavier, and he ended up falling asleep again.

 

* * *

 

"dude to be honest, going there isn't really a good idea," johnny said, while his eyes searching for the painkiller on the shelf, "i'm sure taeyong wouldn't let us go home tonight," he sighed, finally getting the right one.

"what why?"

Johnny turned his head to make a brief eye contact with ten before he casually walked to the cashier, letting the conversation left hanging. "want anything?" he asked ten, expecting a quick answer.

"no."

"cool."

 

 

"john seriously you haven't tell me why going there isn't a good idea," ten asked, brows furrowed and voice laced with irritation because johnny started a conversation but left it hanging like how annoying was that.

Johnny who was busy battling with himself whether to choose blueberry or chocolate cake, ignored ten until he finally decided to just take both of it.

The taller walked to the cashier with two slices of cake on his tray, he felt blessed because there's nobody queuing at the counter. Johnny placed the tray infront of the cashier, "want anything?" he asked ten, again.

If only they're not in the public, ten already yanked johnny's hair and forced the older to talk about the thing he wanted to talk just now-

"iced americano," ten said, wearing his resting bitch face.

Johnny smiled mischievously, knew his job in teasing the shorter was a success. He then showed two fingers at the cashier, "2 iced americano juseyo,"

 

Its when they're waiting for the drink johnny decided to continue with his hanging conversation, "taeyong gets super clingy when he's sick," he started. "highlight word super."

"and then??" ten asked in disbelief, thats a small matter though.

"and then??" johnny exclaimed, getting few stares from the customers around in the cafe, not like he cared. "he'll latch on us until we're gone from his sight. no scratch that, he wouldn't let us home!!! i mean we can come back to the dorm when he's asleep but no ten, i know we wouldn't leave him because he will guilt trip us and make us stay and i have classes tomorrow. fuck don't tell me about your idea of skipping classes because i have a goddamn project to submit tomorrow and i fucking hate my life right now?!" johnny blew up. He honestly really had no problem with taeyong's behaviour when he's sick or anything its just- stressed.

"wow dude chill people are looking oh my god why are you screaming on my face," ten looked around, bowed his head slightly and gave everybody his apologetic smile that looked so forced but its alright atleast he tried. A hushed whispers could be heard around them, curious because they couldn't understand anything since johnny talked in english.

Johnny grinned at everybody who's looking, act like nothing happened.

Ten facepalmed over his friend's weird behaviour.

 

* * *

 

The doorbell rang throughout the dorm, making jaehyun rushed to the door to open it. He didn't want the noise to wake the  _babies_ up.

"jay!" johnny opened his arms to welcome the younger into a hug.

"johnny my hippo," jaehyun hugged the taller tightly. The both engaged into an emotional reunion until ten cleared his throat, feeling extra and awkward.

"oh," jaehyun broke the hug, eyeing ten from head to toe with a glint of mischievous in his eyes, "man, don't tell me this is the ten guy." 

"unfortunately this is the ten guy."

"wow," jaehyun muttered underneath his breath, slightly raising his eyebrow in a flirty manner that honestly looked like those typical hot guy in a gay bar, "i'm sweating for real."

"dude seriously." johnny rolled his eyes in annoyance, somewhere in his voice sounded posessive which got jaehyun's ears perked up in interest.

Johnny pushed jaehyun aside to make himself went inside of the dorm, leaving the hormonal woojae and the fidgety ten alone.

"come inside, make yourself comfortable," the younger said, motioning ten to come in. "i'm jaehyun by the way."

"ten." the thai boy flashed his megawatt smile.

 

 

 

It didn't take long for taeyong to wake up. He didn't expect to see ten was sitting on the floor with his back leaning against the couch where taeyong was lying. The younger was watching spongebob.

Taeyong's body moved by its instinct. He wrapped his long legs around ten's frame from the side, and he could feel ten tensed up for a second but quickly relaxed when he registered what's going on, "you awake?" ten grinned, letting himself getting caged by taeyong's legs.

"hm," taeyong hummed, staring at the younger with his eyes sparkling with affection, "my head hurts." The older complained and pouted childishly, slightly tightened his legs around ten.

Ten chuckled, finding the sick boy adorable, "johnny bought something for you just now, lets go eat!"

Taeyong stayed silent, just staring at the perfect creature who's caged in between his legs, there's something on the back of his head that said he needed to make this boy become  _his_ soon or somebody else going to snatch him.

Taeyong draped his leg lazily over ten's front with his other leg around the younger's shoulder, so  _so lazy_ to move. He rubbed his eyes sleepily, "i'm so lazy i feel so heavy." taeyong said sloppily.

"no, you need to eat something so you could take your painkiller." ten said, sounding like a concern mom.

Taeyong groaned in displeased at the thought of taking medicine, but then he needed it. Ten stood up and offered his hand to taeyong, pulling him up to stand and when he finally did, the older linked his arm with ten's, letting the younger dragging him all the way to the kitchen.

When they entered the kitchen, his friends were all there, talking and catching up on each other. Taeyong smiled weakly at johnny as he strode to sit beside of the taller, not forgetting to roughly ruffled his bestfriend's hair before lowkey pushing his big head, which got jaehyun snickered.

"i guess you're fine now i think me and ten should go home-"

"no!" taeyong exclaimed, but failed when it came out like a soft whimper. He took johnny's hand and put it on his forehead, forcing the taller to feel how burning he was at the moment. Johnny's teasing smile turned to a worried expression, "eat and take painkiller then rest." johnny said sternly, shaking his head like how dad usually do when they look so done with their son.

Taeyong nodded, showing his thumbs up and didn't say anything in protest because he couldn't afford a round of nagging by johnny. That'd be the death of him.

Taeyong shifted his attention back to ten who was just observing the situation silently. Ten grinned at him, but a nervous chuckle slipped out from his mouth when taeyong snaked his arms around the the shorter's waist, snuggling into the crook of ten's neck.  _Bold._

Taeyong could literally feel ten's pulse on his neck and he chuckled when he realised the younger's heartbeat was just as fast as his — crazily sped up in sync. It made taeyong tightened his hold around ten unconsciously.

"oh my god please keep it pg." johnny said, throwing a quick glance at the pair of koalas before he set his gaze back to the couple infront of him, giving them a strained smile. Jaehyun shot him a knowing look.

Doyoung put the two slices of cake johnny bought just now onto a plate and served it infront of taeyong, "eat."

The sick boy whined in protest, his throat felt like it didn't want to accept anything to eat at the moment, those delicious-looking cakes will probably just taste like a sponge on his taste buds later.

"you need to eat, taeyong." ten whispered more things that couldn't reach the others' ears, slightly patting the older's thigh in attempt to convince him to eat. 

Taeyong sighed, he realised he still needed to eat, sooner or later. He nodded his head reluctantly, telling everybody that he gave in.

"wow, i think you just discovered a talent because this taeyong is the _hardhardhard-_ hardest to make him eat when he's sick." jaehyun said, eyebrows raised in pure amusement.

 

 

Doyoung was preparing for the blankets and pillows on the living room, arranging it neatly on the floor. Taeyong loved to sleep in the living room especially when he's sick and of course, doyoung and jaehyun would join, letting their hyung sleep in the middle.

Jaehyun who's sitting on the couch, was actually having a huge battle with his inner self. The younger bit his lip when doyoung bent down infront of him to pick the pillow.

To prevent the freeshow from going out of hand, jaehyun stretched out his hand to pull doyoung onto his lap. The older yelp in surprise, least expecting the interruption.

Jaehyun buried his face on the crook of doyoung's neck, sniffing the older's sweet scent that made jaehyun closed his eyes, sighing contentedly, "you smell so good baby," his voice went 3 octaves lower which made the hair on the back of doyoung's neck stood up. The younger bit doyoung's neck gently as he felt the desire was taking over.

"ouch!" jaehyun yelled in pain when johnny pulled his ear with so much force he thought his ear was going to tear apart.

"my goodness how many times i must say control yourself! no wonder taeyong always complain to me-" johnny started to nag the shit out of jaehyun about how the two need to chill and keep everything under pg.

Doyoung quickly escaped the situation, leaving jaehyun alone to face the nagging giant.

Jaehyun rolled his eyes in annoyance, "we'll see how crazy you're going to be when you have  _somebody_ later. Bet 100 bucks you gonna be worser, man."

Johnny threw a pillow onto jaehyun's face, offended.

 

 

Ten placed the damp towel over taeyong's burning forehead as the older lying down on his sleeping mat. Ten could feel taeyong intense stare was drilling holes onto his face, and it actually made ten felt nervous.

"i'm sorry," taeyong whispered, hand searching for ten's before he held it tightly, "you came to visit me but look what i've done to you." The older apologised, felt bad for making ten taking care of him. Little that he knew, ten was enjoying every moment of it.

"no, its okay you don't need to say sorry," ten grinned widely, reassuring the sick boy as he squeezed taeyong's hand.

Taeyong nodded, a genuine smile tugging on his lips, "can you and johnny stay?" his voice trailed off.

"i can stay but johnny can't. if johnny can't stay that means i can't stay too because yuta is going to kill me with his non-stop annoying ass questions if he knows i'm somewhere unfamiliar without a companion," ten sighed, "he's like my mom?" the thai boy laughed.

Taeyong chuckled, usually he's the one that doing that to his friends, seemed like he found a friend in that, "he's doing that because he's worried of you," taeyong reasoned.

"but he's so so annoying!!!!!!!" johnny popped out from somewhere, interrupting the relax and chill conversation with his loud exclamation.

Taeyong shifted his gaze to johnny, observing the taller as he continued on talking shit about yuta, "and then everyday he will-"

"can you stay?" taeyong cut johnny off, leaving his giant friend speechless.

"i cant-"

"stay pleaseeee," taeyong pouted, shaking johnny's arm violently and he honestly looked like a toddler who's trying hard in convincing his dad to buy him a toy, "youngho stayyyyy." taeyong's voice went higher, an attempt to make he sounded cute but failed miserably.

"dude has some heart." ten backed up taeyong.

"hey excuse me i have a huge heart-"

"then stay!" taeyong continued on being a baby.

"oh my god what did i do in the past to have these kind of friends," johnny facepalmed dramatically, "fine fine fine, we'll stay for the night!" the taller exclaimed, he couldn't help but grinned widely when taeyong and ten lunged to squish him into a bone-crushing hug.

 

 

It's only 10pm but taeyong already wrapped up in his thick blanket from head to toe, curling up into a ball beside ten, sleeping peacefully.

Doyoung interrupted ten moment of staring onto the beautiful creature who was sleeping infront of him, "hey ten, i'm sorry if he's being a troublesome to you." doyoung whispered apologetically, "he gets needy when he's sick, being a baby and all, not that i'm complaining though. everybody in our squad is fine with it." the guy with a soothe voice added.

"i'm fine too. like really you guys don't need to apologise over anything," ten offered a genuine smile, "i'm pretty clingy myself so nothing's bothering me."

"same to be honest," doyoung chuckled, before a yawn followed after. "ah, i want to talk more but i'm so tired, goodnight ten."

"goodnight doyoung."

Silence and darkness accompanied ten who's the only one that still awake. Ten shifted his attention back to taeyong. His hands suddenly felt itchy, wanting to touch those perfect features and also had a sudden urge to run his fingers across taeyong's soft hair. Something on the back of his head screamed that he needed to treasure this moment where he could do it without feeling stupidly nervous.

Ten brushed the long fringe out of taeyong's face, revealing more of his stunning features for ten to see. The younger smiled unconsciously when he saw taeyong slightly frowning in his sleep. Ten gently smoothen the brows before he lightly traced taeyong's features in pure admiration. He could feel the butterflies inside of his stomach were going wild because they're  _too_ close. The thai boy stared at the sleeping taeyong with affection sparkling in his eyes, "i guess i've been falling too deep." ten whispered lowly, — something he couldn't bring himself to say out loud when taeyong was conscious.

His heart almost stopped and he froze when taeyong stirred in his sleep and ten needed to bite back his squeal when taeyong adjusted his position to snuggle onto ten's chest, — taeyong was actually trying to hide his grin because he heard _everything._

Taeyong unconsciously clawed onto ten's shirt, liking the warmth that radiated around ten. The older purred softly when he heard ten's heartbeat was pounding loudly and fast,  _too_ loud for the quiet night. 

 _me too —_ taeyong replied with his thought, before he slowly fell asleep again, getting lulled by the sound of ten's rapid heartbeat.

Ten had never felt so caught off guard before.  _Damn._


	8. Night In Hangang

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> when two squads become one, weird things will come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a chapter about friendship and squads + insecurities

"dad!" ten half-whispered half-shouted as he greeted hansol who's engrossed with his laptop.

Hansol teared his eyes away from the laptop screen to look at the owner's voice who just called him dad in the freaking library, "yes my son." hansol's eyes followed ten who's taking the seat opposite of him.

"give me some tips." ten beamed, hands clutching together and he honestly looked so- excited but somewhere on his face screams nervous.

"what tips?" hansol raised his eyebrows in confusion.

Ten's eyes darting everywhere as his mind was trying to form a coherent sentence for hansol to understand the situation, "like uhm i- uhhh- you know- the sjsbekshe," ten ended up blurted out a load of craps.

Hansol stayed silent; — watching the younger get fidgety. The older remained expressionless as he let ten thought of what he wanted to ask, or _explain._ Hansol shifted his attention back to his laptop, continuing on typing his essay.

"well you know that i kinda.... like taeyong?" ten's voice trailed off, his gaze was set on hansol's calm face.

The older still didn't say anything, he just nodded encouragingly, its not a big deal to hansol because the whole world already know that, its too obvious. Ten took the small gesture as a signal for him to continue, "and i want to uhm- make uhhh something about it or uhm atleast you know make him notice my uh you know-- oh my god!!! why is this so hard to say." ten hid his face in his hands, showing how frustrated he was.

Hansol smiled knowingly. He lowered his laptop screen, flashing his stupid grin that got ten rolled his eyes because _oh yes_ he finally understood, "firstly, be yourself! let it be you look stupid or what, just be yourself- what i'm trying to say is, don't be somebody else just because you want to impress him." hansol started, and ten looked at him with full concentration, —the younger's brain gears were moving to catch the advice.

The older continued with the love-lesson, pouring his logical tips to help the clueless boy who's drowning in love.

 

* * *

 

"tonight we gonna meet them all at hangang yes yes hell yes i'm excited." johnny hollered, punching air. For the first time ever ten, hansol, johnny and yuta riding the same bus with taeyong, heading back to their dorms together.

The plan that johnny and taeyong made for the squads to meet up going to happen tonight. Two gonna be one.

"taeil hyung is so excited to meet you in person like you don't know how much he asked about you, man." taeyong directed it to johnny, grinning as he continued exposing taeil.

"wouldn't say i'm not pumped to see him though," johnny wiggled his eyebrows playfully before he broke into a laughter. Liking the idea that there's somebody who anticipated to meet him.

"and guess what? he's like so your type." Taeyong added, suddenly felt giddy to see how their first encounter going to be, "short, squishy, adorable."

Johnny raised his eyebrows in amusement, "wow i need to dress up real hot tonight then," he smirked.

Ten who's sitting in the middle of the two, leaned in to taeyong to whisper something onto the older's ear, "he likes it fierce though," they both laughed out loud when johnny shouted a _"shut up."_

"kids calm down i'm here trying to sleep." yuta slurred sleepily, annoyed with the noise polution.

 

* * *

 

Ten sprayed the perfume all over him, making whoever that's going to enter the room die on the spot because of the overly chemical floating on the air. The thai boy fled out from the room when he heard yuta opened the bathroom door, means that he just finished showering, "yuta i'm waiting at johnny's!" he dashed out from the dorm.

An evil laugh escaped from the younger's mouth when yuta's scream reached his ears a few seconds after he ran out, "TEN WHY YOU USED MY PERFUME?!"

Ten who was messily running toward the elevator, turned his head to look at the japanese who's for sure was screaming infront of their dorm's door and he saw yuta was holding one of his highcut converse, ready to throw it at ten's direction. Ten clutched his stomach, running while laughing wasn't that nice though because he almost tripped.

Yuta threw the converse with full force, aiming at the younger's ass but failed because it landed far from his aim. Ten quickly went to grab the converse and launched it at yuta, and his eyes widened in terror when it hit the japanese's shoulder _hard_ enough to make him stumbled backward. Ten aggressively pressed the elevator's button while jumping up and down, from laughing and fear.

He could literally felt himself sweating when he saw yuta grabbed another one of the converse and slid the pair on his hands before he ran to ten looking like an angry king-kong with his hands flailing high on the air and _oh my god_ ten hoped the towel that wrapped around yuta's waist slid down though.

The elevator door finally opened and ten ran inside, "close close close!!" he shouted at nobody in particular, pressing the close button.

Ten could see yuta was nearing the elevator door but luck was on ten's side when the door closed before yuta even made it there.

The thai boy bent down, placing his hands on his knees as he regained himself, slightly panting.

"what the hell was that......for?"

Ten turned around, surprise evident on his face when he saw his giant friends were standing like a pair of statue at the back, staring down at him with stunned expression on their faces. Ten didn't even remember seeing them just now, wow he sure was so focus about closing the door. Ten couldn't help but burst out laughing when he caught hansol scrunched up his nose at the familiar scent lingering around in the small elevator, "you smell like yuta...?!" 

"i stole his perfume." ten grinned, "he threw me his shoe and i threw back that's why he chased me." the petite male laughed again.

johnny raised his eyebrow, surprised "you're so bold."

 

* * *

 

Taeyong let his gaze roamed on the dark sky, looking at the stars while his mind was busy thinking of something. He put his hands inside of his hoodie's pockets, finding himself standing at the same spot where he met johnny last few weeks.

"guys i have something i wanna say." taeyong announced, getting the attention from doyoung and jaehyun who's standing just a few steps away from him.

"yeah what is it?" jaehyun asked, voice laced with curiosity.

"next friday is ten's birthday," taeyong started, eyes darting everywhere as his mind was racing with plans.

Jaehyun and doyoung exchanged a knowing look, "and then?"

"well i have something on my mind about that," the oldest out of the three pursed his lips into a thin line, "johnny said ten loves surprises so... yeah- i know you know what i'm trying to say." taeyong wiggled his eyebrows, flashing his mischievous grin.

"oh so you-" jaehyun just about to continue but was interrupted by someone else.

"taeyong!" ten yelled from afar.

The three boys turned around to see ten was running in their direction, and  _oh_ it seemed like yuta was chasing after ten. Taeyong's eyes widened in surprised, couldn't get himself ready for what's going to happen next.

Ten crashed himself onto taeyong, throwing his arms around the older's frame which made taeyong stumbled a few steps backward because of the great momentum.

Everything happened too fast for taeyong to even registered the situation. The next thing he knew ten was already on his back, holding onto his shoulders as ten avoided yuta's wild hands that tried to grab him.

"he wants to kill me!!" ten exclaimed exaggeratedly, but laughing nevertheless.

Taeyong stretched his arms wide in instinct to shield ten, "wait wait wait what happened!?"

"he pulled my hair i swear it almost fall out from my scalp!" yuta screamed, hands still trying to reach ten, "he stole my perfume and threw a fucking converse at me just now like god damn it don't get near with this boy he's gonna stab you with plastic fork one day!"

Taeyong couldn't help but burst out laughing, "before he stabs me i'll stab you first!"

That got yuta widened his eyes in disbelief because _the hell is this —_  he'd never felt so cornered by anybody before.

Ten sticked his tongue out at yuta then mouthed a  _loser_ at the japanese which got the older almost took off his shoe to smack ten.

As usual, hansol came to the rescue, —pulling yuta by his collar from the back. Honestly, it made yuta looked so small and powerless, much to ten's liking. Johnny who was also came to the rescue, flicked yuta's temple  _hard_ enough to produce that painful sound, "oops sorry," johnny grinned, ruffling yuta's hair messily. He laughed mockingly as he watched yuta wriggling furiously under hansol's arms.

"wow dude i never know you have these kind of- extreme friends." jaehyun grabbed the attention, making everybody turn to him.

"now you know." johnny replied with a grin before he wiggled his eyebrows at hansol and yuta, telling them to introduce themselves.

Yuta straightened his posture, quickly fixing his hair and clothes before he grabbed hansol's wrist and walked to doyoung and jaehyun, his scowl was replaced with a huge playful grin, "nakamoto yuta. i'm ten's roommate a.k.a his number 1 enemy." yuta said casually and his smile didn't waver a slightest bit which got doyoung chuckled. Funny guy. "and this froggy is my boyfriend."

"ji hansol." the said boy showed a peace sign at the two younger boys infront of him.

"our full names are complicated, we'll go there later so my name is jaehyun and this bunny is my boyfriend." jaehyun imitated yuta's style in introducing his boyfriend.

"doyoung." he showed a peace sign too.

"ok enough with your lame ass introductions now where's my winwin and  _that_ taeil guy." johnny exclaimed, eyes looking at his friends in question.

They all stayed quiet, eyes darting everywhere and some were holding back their laugh. The tall boy squinted at his friends in suspicious.

Johnny let out a loud shriek when he felt a sudden heavy weight jumped onto his back that made him bent backward slightly before he moved forward by reflex. The heavy burden locked his legs around johnny's torso and headlocked the chicago boy, meanwhile his other hand roughly clutching onto johnny's hair, "JOHNNY!!" winwin screamed right into johnny's ear which got the poor boy almost cried over the volume, "how dare you didn't tell me you came to taeyong's that day!!!"

"oh my lord somebody help me," johnny wiggled around, trying his best to get his friend off his back. "dude get off!" he cried.

The others only watched in awe.

Winwin get down from johnny's back, grinning idiotically with a glint of excitement reflecting on his eyes — act like nothing happened. He then went to johnny and hugged him, rocking his giant friend back and forth, "bogoshipeoseo."

Johnny's idea of smacking the younger gone completely. His expression softened as winwin hugged him tighter, "man, i missed you too." johnny hugged back before taeyong and ten came joining the group hug, followed by jaehyun and doyoung. Yuta and hansol who's watching the emotional scene infront of them couldn't help but silently aw-ing at the corner. Reunions are always emotional.

Taeil on the other hand, didn't know what to do. He just stood there behind of them, getting antsier and antsier,- awkward and stiff. He suddenly felt extra and unwelcome but the bad feelings gone when the small group hug broke apart, and taeil swore the way everybody was looking at him just made his heart beating fast in anxiety. He hated attention.

Winwin grabbed taeil's wrist, making the shorter male stood beside him, "this is the big johnny i was talking about!" 

"oh."  _oh oh oh shit._ "uhm hi i'm moon taeil."

Johnny set his gaze on the guy who introduced himself as taeil. His lips twitched up upon the adorable sight infront of him, forming into a playful smile when he saw taeil grinned nervously under his stare, "cute." johnny muttered underneath his breath; voice went few octaves lower which almost got taeil squeaked. Johnny let out a flirty chuckle when he saw taeil's face flushed red.  _cute._

"aw shit look at taeil hyung," taeyong fanboyed, tugging at ten's sleeve as he pointed at taeil.

"height difference goals to be honest," ten replied which taeyong nodded, agreed.

"okay kids enough with your flirting session. now lets buy something to eat i'm hungry." jaehyun suggested, tapping on his tummy, telling the world that it needed attention.

"okay lets go." taeyong slung his arm around ten's shoulders, dragging the younger to go for the food hunt.

 

 

They came back to the same spot, one hour after they finished buying a huge amount of unhealthy food and snacks from the nearest convenience store. They all sat in a circle, as johnny called it a time for chilling and bonding. Ramyeon, a few boxes of chickens, and many type of beverages; sprites, banana milks, cokes, and pepsi, — filling the supposedly empty spot in the middle of the circle.

The boys exchanged questions about each other;— asking about their majors, how long their relationships going, how they first met their significant other, how they all first met each other, they even talked about first impressions. It was just one plain yet interesting night they spent together at hangang.

"when the first time we met, i remember it was so epic because i accidentally spilled coffee on his essay papers! and guess what? he didn't have any copies of those- he looked like he's about to burst into tears though." yuta explained about his first time meeting hansol, "i expected him to yell at me but he didn't. he just stood there and looked so shock like his eyes widening to infinity and i had never felt so like a bitch before, seriously."

The rest of the boys listened at yuta's story with interest, "that sucks though. bet you got a very bad first impression from hansol hyung," doyoung said.

For somebody that just met yuta for the first time, almost could be considered as a stranger even, — that remark was pretty shady. Well, atleast to yuta.

The japanese male shot him a look, "how bout yours?"

"mine wasn't anything better." doyoung shrugged, "at that time i didn't know our dorm was having a new student so when jaehyun came in i kinda freaked out so i smacked him using an umbrella. i'm lucky he didn't pass out though. like c'mon its not my fault he came inside the dorm and tiptoed like a thief." 

Yuta snorted, "damn we went hard on our boyfriends," 

"you sound wrong though." hansol whispered.

"i know."

 

 

One by one, the couples get up to leave the circle, — went to take a stroll around hangang.

Taeyong leaned in to whisper into ten's ear, "now its time to gossip, lets go." he suggested, obviously joking at the gossip part but he's serious at the lets go part.

Ten grinned, more than happy to have some alone time with taeyong, "yeah lets go."

Taeyong again, slung his arm around ten, leading the way. The two walked slowly, as if they had all the time in the world.

"taeyong," ten broke the silence as they continued walking.

"hm?"

"why do you always wear your hood up?" the younger looked to his side, throwing a quick glance.

"i don't know, it somehow manage to make me feel secure," taeyong said, looking down at the ground.

Ten furrowed his eyebrows in curiosity and confusion, he didn't like how the atmosphere turned gloomy out of a sudden, "why what's wrong?"

They arrived at the place taeyong thought strategic, infront of the river with the bridge that was having a traffic jam standing proudly on the other side. The older sat down on the floor, hugging his legs to his chest with his hands wrapping around his knees and ten sat down a second after, mimicking taeyong's pose, "i don't know if you could understand this but, there's time when i can feel my insecurities taking over myself," taeyong let out a deep sigh. "its scary how i thought people are judging me the moment they lay their eyes on me- its scary."

Ten bit his lower lip, regretting his choice in asking the question. He didn't know it would lead to something sensitive like this.

The thai boy stayed silent as he let his gaze roamed at the beautiful view infront of them. He didn't want to force and pushed the older to spill more things that he's not comfortable to share.

"i'm sorry." taeyong whispered. If ten didn't sit that close to taeyong he's sure he couldn't catch that soft sorry.

Ten turned his head, his frown getting deeper as he stared at the older in confusion, "what are you aplogising for?"

"i'm sorry that you need to deal with somebody that couldn't even love himself."

Silence.

"look at me." ten said firmly.

Taeyong turned to look at ten in the eyes, but the moment his gaze met ten's, he failed to hold an eye contact. Ten could feel his heart broken into pieces at the sight of taeyong bowed his head down in shame, looking down at the floor.

Ten took taeyong's hands into his, squeezing them in a comforting manner before his hand slowly made its way up to pull taeyong's hood down. The older stayed unmoving and his expression unfazed but ten could feel his muscles tensed up in discomfort. Ten brushed taeyong's fringe out of his eyes, "taeyong look up, i'm prettier than the floor you're staring at." ten joked but he couldn't find himself smiling.

Taeyong shook his head in protest, didn't want to do it as what he's told. He somehow felt ashamed.

"do you remember what i said when the first time we talked?" ten started, deciding its not good to force the older who's emotionally unstable, "i said its nice that you always wear your hood up because you shouldn't walk around looking fabulously hot like  _this,_ like _right now._ "

Taeyong smiled, the images of their first proper encounter flashed inside of his mind.

"Everyone around you, loves you. You're beautiful just the way you are, so there's nothing to feel insecure about."

Taeyong's heart leapt,— not because of what ten said but because how it sounded so sincere he felt like breaking down because its already so long he'd never felt so loved. Its moving.

Ten cracked a small smile the moment taeyong looked up, those pair of shiny doe eyes staring straight into ten's, searching for a trace of sympathy. But he couldn't find any.

The glow of ten's honest countenance made tears started to well up in taeyong's eyes because all he saw was a spark of pure affection and sincerity in the younger's eyes.

"shit why are you tearing up!" ten panicked, "did i say something wrong??"

Taeyong wrapped his hands around ten and hugged him tightly, burying his face onto the younger's shoulder. He didn't need to say anything for ten to know he's crying.

Ten didn't expect his stupid question from earlier could get taeyong trembling with his shoulders went up and down, clinging onto ten like his life depending on the younger, "no oh my god i'm sorry i brought the topic up." he rubbed taeyong's back before patting it gently, comforting the broken boy.

"sometimes i t-t-thought nobody l-l-loves me and it hurts to e-even have that thought linger a-around in your head," taeyong said between his sob, hiccups were there lacing between his sentences.

Ten could feel his heart clenched painfully,  _no wonder he seeks attention so much when he's sick —_ ten thought.

"taeyong, we love you okay." ten was at loss of words in how to comfort taeyong, its not always he faced this kind of situation, "johnny loves you, jaehyun loves you, doyoung loves you,  _i love you._ Everyone does."

Ten tried his best to phrase it as a friend, and what he didn't expect was to have taeyong cried harder.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> STAY TUNE BUNNIES DUNDUNDUN


	9. Locked Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bad day gone good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> grab a popcorn and coke :))
> 
> btw it'd be good if you listen to locked away by adam levine ft r.city while reading this (it'll be the best if you listen to it once you saw the italic lyrics in here if yano wat i'm sayin yap)

An exasperated sigh escaped ten's lips as he made his way to his usual seat. The thai boy quickly plugged in his earpiece before he leaned his head against the glass window, closing his eyes in attempt to take a short nap.

Bad day. He had a bad day and everything getting badder the more he thought about it. Ten wished he could disappear from the world for a second.

None of his friends seemed to care or even remember about his birthday,— its tomorrow. Okay, that wasn't really the problem but its one of the factor why the said boy felt so worthless,- he's quite sensitive when it comes to birthday.

He was supposed to submit his group project by today, but shit happened when he accidentally dropped his pen drive into the toilet sink and it couldn't work anymore. His groupmates called him names because of that,- throwing a string of swears at him because he just ruined their grade, like hey, he ruined his marks too! can't people think about that too? His fist almost flew onto their faces to take things in action, but he held back, and let everything bled his ears and made him felt like a total loser he actually was. Not only that, when ten was running to his next class, somebody just so happened to bump into him and the person spilled hot coffee onto his hand and guess what? it burned. Red and swelling,- it hurts so much he teared up when the hot water made contact with his skin. Ten ended up at the college infirmary and the nurse told him that he got a second degree burn, which really sucked alot because that means he needed to bare with this ugly injured skin for atleast 2-3 weeks that for sure needed alot of care.

The only good thing he remembered happened was that he stayed on the bed in the infirmary until dismissal. But the burning and stinging pain on his hand didn't do him good to even think anything positive already.

At this point, he already didn't care about taeyong's presence at all. Sure, there's a second when the older boy crossed into his mind because taeyong was nowhere to be seen, but he quickly chased the thought away, not wanting to tire his mind more than it already did.

 

* * *

 

"it must be nice if there's a toblerone cake though," taeyong said, eyes scanning over the dozen of beautiful and delicious-looking birthday cakes infront of him.

"not my fault that you didn't plan it earlier. if not we already can place an order for it, which is insane if you ask me. It sure cost alot."

Johnny blabbered which got taeyong rolled his eyes. He needed a help in choosing a nice cake not a nag, "what do you think if i pick a chocolate cake?" taeyong asked, face lit up in pure excitement.

"yea man, of course a chocolate cake. He's a chocolate vacuum, we all know that."

 

* * *

 

Ten opened the door of his dorm, walking in like a dying sloth. The dorm was unusually quiet which means there's nobody home.

The thai boy slumped his shoulders forward, feeling extremely sad and stressed. He needed a comfort or a pair of ears to listen to him but nobody was around. Yeah nice one.

He dragged his bag all the way to his room by the strap, lazy and tired.

Ten sighed before he plopped himself onto his bed, hands rubbing on his face roughly before he let out a loud sigh and a tired-annoyed groan slipped out from his mouth.

He reached for his phone from his pocket and quickly typed a short message;

 

> **to yuta ;** **whr u at?!!!!????!!!?!??????!?1!!1!1!1!!?**

 

ten violently pressing on his keyboard to type those, before he pressed the send button. He then tossed his phone to the bed, sitting up from his lying position to figure out what he could do to calm his mind down. Ten decided taking a cold shower would do him good, so he left the room without any second thoughts.

 

* * *

 

"i'm bad in picking a gift." taeyong said, while walking around in the shopping mall, racking his brain to find something nice.

"same." yuta sighed, still couldn't think what to buy for ten.

Yuta's phone dinged loudly, signaling there's a message coming from his kakaotalk.

 

> **from 10;** **whr u at?!!!!????!!!?!??????!?1!!1!1!1!!?**

 

The japanese grinned over the message before he shoved it infront of taeyong's face, "look at this. do you wanna know what it means?"

Taeyong read it quickly before he gave yuta a questioning look, "what?"

"a secret code of _'dude im having a bad day where are you when i need you the most'_ blablabla" yuta grinned wider, he suddenly loved the word _coincidence_. "ha i never know the plan will go even smoother."

"you mean even harsher?" taeyong sighed, couldn't help but to feel bad. 

"oh god, please. you don't need to feel guilty, this is nothing to be compared with what he'd done to me on my birthday last year." yuta reasoned.

"yeah yeah sure," taeyong waved it off, "by the way, don't forget to ring us when you're on your way to your place. stick with the plan and don't hang up."

"and don't do anything that would get his cute yet sharp fist lands on your face," johnny snorted, wanting yuta to behave when he's around ten later, "its already enough we all ignored his calls."

"can't promise anything." yuta wiggled his eyebrows playfully.

 

 

The boys were roaming around inside of the clothes store, accompanied taeyong who dragged them to get inside as he told them he wanted to see if he could find anything that suitable for ten.

Taeyong was in the middle of searching for something nice in the casual outfits department. His phone suddenly vibrated angrily on his back pocket which got the focused boy startled slightly in alarmed. He took the phone and his heart leapt at the caller's id. A tiny bit of guilt washed through him when he realised he couldn't pick up the call if he wanted the plan went as nicely as it was planned. Taeyong was battling with himself whether he should pick up or not, suddenly the urge to talk to ten was all over him.

Yuta snatched taeyong's phone swiftly, leaving taeyong completely speechless — couldn't find himself to react. The japanese quickly swiped the red button, rejecting the call before he turned off taeyong's phone and gave it back to him. Yuta smiled, patting taeyong's shoulder not so gently, "harden your heart a little bit."

Taeyong sighed for the nth time, before he continued on his previous activity in searching.

 

* * *

 

Yuta punched in his security code, peeking his head into his dorm to see if ten was there in the living room, "oh." he said it to himself.

Ten was there sitting at the dining table, fingers typing fast against his laptop keyboard. His brows furrowed in deep concentration, didn't bother to spare yuta a glance as he continued on his assignment.

The japanese male entered the dorm slowly, noticing the heavy and tense atmosphere in the living room. Yuta cleared his throat to steal ten's attention but all he got was nothing except for the atmosphere to turn even more suffocating that yuta felt like running out from there.

He then went to the kitchen, suddenly felt thirsty. Yuta opened the fridge to take a bottle of mineral water and he straightened up when he heard ten finally spoke up, "where did you guys go? why none of you answered my calls." ten asked, eyes still set on the laptop screen, voice flat and hushed as if he's trying to hold himself down.

"going out with the squad."

Ten brought up his gaze to look at yuta, hurt written all over his face, "where? i didn't see you guys at college today and-"

"does it matter to you? no?" yuta said. It came out hushed and quiet but ten didn't know why it stings so much in his ears.

"i'm asking you nicely."

"and i'm answering you nicely?"

"when will  _you_ stop being a bitch?!" ten snapped, slamming his laptop shut.

Yuta frowned, he obviously didn't like the tone the younger boy was using, "i seriously have no time for your bullshit, you should go and talk to a mirror." he said sharply, walking fast to his room before he also lost it and brought the situation to the whole new level.

Ten stood up from his chair, walking closed behind yuta as the japanese marched to his room. Before ten could even yanked yuta, he already entered his room and slammed the door shut on his face, again. Ten also heard a clicked sound, — yuta just locked the door.

Ten banged onto the door violently, couldn't find his rationality already, "fucking continue with that ugly attitude of yours and don't find me to cry your eyes out like a gay you are when hansol hyung also fed up with you!" ten yelled at the door, knowing yuta on the inside could hear him. His face flushed in rage as he kicked the door with all his might, let it broke apart or what, he didn't care.

He honestly couldn't believe he just lashed out at yuta. Ten obviously didn't mean what he said, none of those, but his temper and frustration was getting over him and he was blinded by it.

Ten heard a loud banging sound coming from the inside, meaning yuta just slammed his bathroom door shut.

The japanese male on the other hand locked himself inside of the bathroom, placing his phone over his ear, "did you guys hear that???????" he half-shouted as he fanned his face that suddenly felt warmer.

"come here quickly!" hansol said, worried the situation get out of hand.

"dude get your ass out from there as soon as possible." johnny said, voice tensed but laced with concern.

"i guess i'll get out- gimme 15 minutes."

"don't say anything anymore or else i'm going to staple your mouth once you arrive here, i'm serious yuta, don't provoke him any further. save your face."

"yeah yeah, i will. i'm hanging up now guys."

 

 

After yuta finished taking a shower and get dressed casually, he quickly get out from his room.

Ten was there, sitting on the kitchen counter as he gulped a huge amount of cold water, finding himself slowly calmed down. He stopped when he saw yuta passing by, "dude, i'm sorry-"

Yuta raised his hand without looking up at the younger, gesturing ten to stop talking, "keep it."

Ten tried to restrain himself from spitting more rude words, "but where are you going?"

"out."

Yuta slammed the door shut, making ten flinched slightly over the loud impact.

"seriously?? and then he said what? asking me to go talk to a mirror???" ten screamed, voice booming in the kitchen, feeling frustrated as ever, "bullshit."

 

* * *

 

"johnny, help me open the door." taeyong who's busy checking on the cupcakes they just did just now, asking help from his friend to answer the doorbell.

Johnny went to open the door, "oh its you." the taller rolled his eyes in disinterest because he thought it was _somebody_ else more interesting than this loser. 

Yuta flashed his megawatt smile to johnny who just looked down at him with a very bored expression. He then pushed johnny aside to make some space for him to get inside.

The pleasant smell poked his nostril once he came inside, making him following the invisible trail that at the end bringing him to the kitchen. Yuta's grin didn't waver, if anything it grew even wider and brighter when he saw hansol was there sprinkling the chocolate rice on top of the dozen cupcakes, wearing a yellow apron with huge spongebob smiley face on it. _Adorable._

Yuta went to hansol and backhugged the taller. His hands wrapping tightly around hansol's waist, hands locking on the front as he buried his face onto hansol's back. _Chocolate and coffee._ He smelt like chocolate and coffee which got yuta snuggled like a cat that'd rub himself over his owner, liking the sweet scent that lingered around his boyfriend. Hansol chuckled over his boyfriend's clingy behaviour, he's quite entertained by it to be honest.

The younger moved to side-hugged hansol, resting his head over the taller's biceps, feeling it flexed in every movement hansol made, "ah, they look so yummy, can i take one?" yuta asked for a permission, bribing hansol with his blinding smile.

"you can take one if you want johnny to smack your head," a playful smile tugged over hansol's lips when he saw yuta pouted in disappointment. It just so happened cucpakes are yuta's thing. "its okay, i'll buy for you later." hansol offered.

"really?" yuta beamed at the taller, face lit up like an excited child.

"hm." hansol hummed in confirmation before he continued with his work.

Yuta placed his chin on top of hansol's shoulder, staring at his boyfriend's perfect side profile, "love you." he whispered softly.

Hansol turned his head slightly, chuckling when he saw yuta puckered his lips, asking for a kiss. Hansol leaned in to leave a sweet peck over yuta's lips and watched silently as the soft shade of pink came painting over the smaller's cheeks. Yuta again, cracked a huge grin, his eyes curved into crescent moons, creating a smile that reached his eyes before a shy chuckle followed. Hansol couldn't help but to dive in again but pecked his cheek this time. Too adorable, hansol couldn't resist.

"love you more." hansol replied. They just about to get lost in their lovey-dovey moment but somebody barged in just on time.

"what is this i left for like 10 minutes and what's with this scene." johnny's voice echoed throughout the kitchen, startling yuta.

The japanese male couldn't help but to roll his eyes in annoyance, "if jealous just say."

Johnny took a place on the bar stool, he chose to ignore yuta's remark, "so what happened after you hung up just now?"

"nothing happened." yuta shrugged, its not really a big deal to him, "he wanted to say sorry but i didn't want to hear anything so i just get out from there and yeah, nothing extreme."

Johnny faked a gasp, "you deserve the best actor award!" he exaggerated his tone and pitch, covering his mouth with his eyes widening in a fake surprised.

Yuta lifted himself slightly to reach johnny who's sitting on the other side and hit johnny's arm with a forceful slap, earning a loud cry of pain from the taller.

Hansol chuckled over the childish scene infront of him. He set the tray to the side after finished with his sprinkling task, "he must be having the baddest day of the year to the point he lashed out like that." hansol sighed.

Yuta hummed in agreement, "the moment i stepped inside the living room it felt like a cold wrath conquering the atmosphere you know? like ugh he seriously needed a chill pill just now."

"atleast he only needs it once in a while. you need it everyday, man." johnny threw a shade.

Yuta shot his friend a dirty look before he started to talk shit about johnny in japanese. The situation quickly turned into an intense bicker; foreign languages came out rapidly from both parties.

After a moment of having the pointless fight, johnny turned his attention to taeyong who's sitting on the kitchen counter, facing the oven with his head wildly bobbing to the music he's listening using his earpiece. Johnny laughed, he knew why taeyong did that. It must be because of yuta and hansol who's engaged into their gag-worthy moment and taeyong who stuck in the kitchen couldn't do anything more than making himself invisible.

Johnny stretched his hand to pulled one of taeyong's earpiece off his ear, "dude get back to the world, we're talking about your ten." 

Taeyong was caught off guard when somebody suddenly cut his moment in jamming to his favourite songs, "oh- ha what? what did you guys talk about him?"

"nah its nothing important," yuta waved it off before he continued, "just next time when you sense something off with him, please treat and talk with him as nicely as you can."

"he hates feeling neglected the most." hansol added. Suddenly the situation turned into something that looked like a bunch of big bros exposing their baby bro's flaws.

"king of lashing out, seriously." johnny said.

Taeyong chuckled as his silly friends continued exposing more of the unnecessary informations. Everything sounded cutely scary in his ears at the moment, which was crazy.

They spent some more time, talking about their surprise plan, and about ten, also about taeyong himself, and alot more of unimportant topics until taeyong's phone ringing loudly in his hand, making the conversation came to a halt.

"oh uhm winwin's calling, i'll be right back." taeyong said, before he fled out from the kitchen, making his way to the balcony.

Taeyong quickly swiped the green button and placed it over his ear, before he locked the balcony door behind him, claiming so much privacy.

_"taeyong!"_

He sat down on the wooden chair, enjoying the breezy weather, "hey ten."

Taeyong couldn't help it when an idiotic grin made its way to his face because _oh yes,_  he finally get to hear ten's voice for the first time that day. 

 

* * *

 

Ten dragged his feet to the living room, felt lifeless and somehow hurt. He plopped onto the couch, lying down after he turned on the tv. Blasting it loud to make him feel lively a little bit.

Failed. He couldn't get his mind out from the fact that his friends were hanging out and having fun without him, this honestly was the first time it happened. They even Ignored his calls and text, which was strange. Everything was strange in ten's eyes but he couldn't point out anything about it.

Taeyong even rejected his calls,- and ten already reached that point where he thought he did something wrong to cause everybody avoided him.

Ten seriously couldn't describe how he felt, too many assumptions and thoughts racing at once everything was sick.

He still could consider the situation and maybe his frustration and the urge to flip could get a little bit controlled if he wasn't having a very bad day. Ten sighed before he lifted his injured hand up, letting his eyes examined the ruined skin. He suddenly felt pity over himself. The angry red burnt skin seemed like it'd leave a scar.

Ten let his mind wander a little more before the strong urge to call taeyong came engulfing him once again. He sighed, stretching his arm to reach the phone that was placed on the coffee table. The thai boy was having a battle with himself about  _should i? or nah?_ while staring onto the screen that had taeyong's number on it, ready to be called.

He finally pressed the callbutton, mentally yelling at himself over how this gonna be the last time he's bugging everyone.

Its already on the third rings and nobody picked up. Ten was really on the verge of crying and giving up, suddenly felt so pathetic and worthless in the same time.

"taeyong!" ten sat bolt upright when he heard the call was picked up.

 _"hey ten."_ he almost could hear taeyong's smile.

Ten couldn't believe those simple two words almost made him cry, as he could feel the emotions attacked him mercilessly. That was when ten realised he missed taeyong.

"where were you?" ten said, almost came out like a whisper.

_"my afternoon class was cancelled last minute, so i went back early."_

Silence.

_"sorry, i should've told you earlier."_

Ten cleared his throat as he could feel it tightened painfully, "no, its okay i'm just curious." 

It was quiet for a moment until he heard taeyong spoke up on the other line, _"i didn't answer your calls because i'm so busy- i have a load of assignments to do so yeah. by the way, is there anything you wanna say?"_

Ten fiddled his fingers with the end of his patrick plushie, "i'm just- nah nevermind, its nothing important."

_"ten, if you have a problem you know you can just tell me, right? i'm all ears."_

The thai boy blinked his eyes furiously, before he cleared his throat once again, "i don't think i can tell through phone."

Silence again.

"its okay taeyong i'm not telling you to meet me-"

_"i'll come."_

Ten's heart almost jumped out of his ribcage, he really didn't expect that.

_"i need to get my assignments done first, then i'll come. maybe i'll be late a bit."_

"you really don't need to do that, i don't want to be a troublesome-"

 _"nope stop right there. i'm coming because i want to, not because of anything else-,"_ taeyong chuckled and it somehow sounded nervous in ten's opinion, _"well i guess i'm hanging up?"_

"okay," for the first time in the day, ten smiled. A smile that his mom said, could melt everybody's heart, "bye taeyong."

_"bye ten."_

 

* * *

 

"oh my god oh my god oh my god," taeyong chanted as he ran throughout the dorm with his palms framing his face, looking like a crazy kid, "johnny johnny johnny oh my god." voice high pitched as he called the tall boy.

Johnny facepalmed, before he grabbed taeyong by the shoulders to make him standing straight and still, "dude calm down! breathe taeyong breathe."

Taeyong did as what his bestfriend told him, "its not working!" he jumped up and down, looking so ridiculously giddy and nervous. Taeyong checked his watch and almost screamed it out loud, "its already 11:15PM i want to die."

Yuta who's holding the cake box to put it on the coffee table laughed when he saw taeyong was freaking out, "were you like this too when you wanted to confess at me?" yuta asked hansol who's standing behind him.

"of course?? i couldn't sleep for days thinking about the worst possibilities."

"isn't that the cutest part?" yuta chuckled.

"no its not!! its the worst-" taeyong exclaimed from the other side of the living room but was cut off by his phone again. He picked up the call, fingers playing with his hair strand, something he'd do when he's nervous.

 _"hyung, my car is ready for the night."_ Jaehyun said on the other line.

Taeyong's stomach churned when he heard that, his mind racing with thoughts about the upcoming event, "okay, we'll go down in a minute."

He hung up before he looked to his friends who's looking back at him with expectant eyes, "okay okay okay," taeyong said, more like talking to himself, "okay."

"okay?" johnny asked, eyebrow raised.

"okay." taeyong inhaled deeply before he went to take his wallet, shoving it in his back pocket and picked up his black guitar case, slinging the strap over his shoulder, "okay, i think i'm ready so lets go!" he flashed his nervous smile.

Taeyong half-running to the door, wanting to get out first before his friends. Once outside, he unlocked his phone and dialed ten's number, heart drumming wildly against his chest.

"ten? i'm on my way to your place."

 

* * *

 

Ten changed to something more appropriate after taeyong called him and said he's coming. He honestly thought taeyong wouldn't come, but seemed like he's a man of his word.

It was around 11:30 pm when he received a text from taeyong,

 

> **taeyong ;** **i'm at the rooftop.**

 

"oh? he's here already?" ten whispered, talking to himself,- a grin spread across his lips.

The thai male quickly went out from his room and turned off the tv, the lights and everything before he went outside the door and slid his feet onto his favourite sandals. Ten didn't know why he felt nervous. There's something unusual and he didn't know how to describe it. 

Once he stepped inside the elevator, he pressed the last floor button, waiting patiently for the lift to go up. He set his gaze over the red arrow that counting the floor and his heart fasten ascendingly just like the number, "oh god what's with this feeling, chill ten chill." ten fanned his face, didn't know why he felt like that.

He arrived at the last floor, stepping out and took a deep breathe, before he walked up to the stairs.

Once ten opened the door to the rooftop, the cold wind gushed and slapped him across the face, making his hair tousled slightly.

Ten's eyes immediately searching for the person that wanted to meet him there. His heart skipped a beat when his eyes landed on taeyong who's sitting on the long bench while adjusting his guitar strings.  _G_ _uitar?_ He was curious of why taeyong was holding a guitar, but what really caught his attention was taeyong's outfit. He's not wearing a hoodie today, just an oversize black sweatshirt with ripped jeans. Its insanely attractive, and ten couldn't help but sighed, how can somebody looked so good at this hour in just a simple outfit.

"taeyong?" ten called, half-whispered as he walked to taeyong who looked up instantly when he heard his name being called by the familiar voice.

"hey there." taeyong replied, offering the thai boy a small smile.

Ten sat down beside taeyong, smiling back before his attention shifted to the guitar. He playfully strummed the guitar, chuckling when taeyong slapped his hand away, "why are you bringing this?"

"oh this," taeyong stayed silent for a second, mind racking for a good trick, "johnny wants to borrow this but when i went to his dorm just now he's not there."

Ten nodded, "i don't know where they went this whole day." the poor boy stared down at his feet, slowly starting the conversation as taeyong listened intently, "too much things happened today, it was all bad."

"what happened?"

"they all ignored me," ten sighed, he stared into the space as he continued spilling things to taeyong, "i thought they're just busy but when yuta came back in the afternoon just now, he said he's going out with them. i don't know why, but it hurts a little bit."

Taeyong bit his lip, feeling extremely guilty.

"my groupmates screamed on my face and called me names because i accidentally dropped our project's pen drive into the sink," ten chuckled dryly, "you know, its just one of those crazy days when you feel extra sensitive and everything just stings so much in your ears then you started to overreact over everything that annoy you, even its just one small thing."

Ten pulled down his left sleeve, making sweater paws. He actually just wanted to hide the burn mark. Its not something pretty to be shown, ten thought so.

"but its okay, i'm still alive and that's enough, i guess." ten shrugged, trying to be positive.

"that was really tough though," taeyong added, he wanted to say more comforting words but his mind was too busy thinking about his next action, "well i have a guitar here, want me to sing a song?" 

Ten looked at taeyong, beaming over the idea because he thought the weather was so perfect for that, "why not!" he adjusted his position, facing the older.

Taeyong cleared his throat, trying to look cool even though his heart was screaming on the inside, "i don't know if you know or like this song, but okay lets give it a shot." he smiled softly at the boy infront of him who looked anticipate to be entertained.

Taeyong strummed the first chord.

 

_If I got locked away,_

_And we lost it all today,_

_Tell me honestly would you still love me the same?_

_If I showed you my flaws,_

_If I couldn't be strong,_

_Tell_ _me honestly would you still love me the same?_

 

Ten's smile was placed with a surprised expression when his mind finally processed this familiar song and lyrics. It's one of his favourite song. Locked Away.

 

_Right about now,_

_If I judge for life, man, would you stay by my side?_

_Or is you gonna say goodbye?_

_Can you tell me right now?_

_If I couldn't buy you the fancy things in life,_

_Shawty, would it be alright,_

_Come on show me that you down._

 

Taeyong's voice sounded so soft and soothing, it somehow managed to touch ten's heart.

 

_Baby don't lie to me,_

_If I didn't have anything,_

_I wanna know would you stick around?_

 

Taeyong continued singing as he locked gaze with ten, trying his best to send the message.

 

_All I wanna is somebody who really don't need much,_

_Somebody that I know I can trust,_

_To be there when money low,_

 

Ten really didn't know what to expect but the way taeyong's gaze pierced through his soul, it looked so convincing.

 

_If I did not have nothing else to give but love,_

_Would that even be enough?_

_Boy, me need to know._

 

Ten didn't expect it to be this moving.

 

_Tell me tell me do you need me,_

_Tell me tell me do you love me?_

 

Taeyong stopped strumming his guitar to wipe ten's tears with his thumb, still singing.

 

_If I got locked away,_

_And we lost it all today,_

_Tell me honestly would you still love me the same?_

_If I showed you my flaws,_

_If I couldn't be strong,_

_Tell_   _me honestly would you still love me the same?_

 

"i know this song is deep, but don't cry," taeyong said softly, still wiping the younger's soaked cheeks.

Taeyong put his guitar aside, let it rest against the bench before he took ten's hands in his, "hey look up, i'm prettier than the bench." taeyong joked, kind of imitating ten's line which was said back then in hangang.

Ten chuckled slightly, looking up to set his gaze over taeyong.

The older then brought ten's hand and placed it flatly over his chest, letting the younger to feel his rapid heartbeat, "look at what you've done to me." taeyong said, almost came out like a hush whisper.

Ten's eyes widened slightly in surprised. Taeyong's action really left him rendered speechless and awestruck. Ten wasn't one that quick in putting hopes over something, that's the reason why he's so taken aback by it.

Taeyong bit his lower lip as he could feel his insecurities crept inside of him because of the way ten react, "don't look at me like that, you're making me nervous." he blurted out, earning an amused chuckle from ten.

"okay, i won't." ten smiled, trying his best to make taeyong loosened up and continue at whatever he wanted to say.

Taeyong intertwined his fingers with ten's, chuckling softly when he felt ten squeezed his hands in encouraging manner.

"well i," taeyong cleared his throat awkwardly as he could feel the blood rushing to his face, "i maybe not a perfect guy- i mean, i'm obviously not a perfect guy, not the rich one, not the smart one. if anything, people used to call me problematic. I have serious problem with my self-esteem, i don't dress fancy, i nag alot and is a neat freak. and the problem here is, i like you. i mean uh- i love you..? I'm sorry but i really don't have anything else to offer except for me myself, and my... heart?" taeyong's voice cracked at the end of his messy confession, feeling his confidence starting to crumble but he forced himself to let everything out. Its now or never.

Ten was back at it again with his awestruck expression. This was the last thing he expected to happen, as the ending of his bad day. Actually, it never crossed his mind even once, its too dreamy and risky. Ten watched as taeyong started to get anxious and fidgety on his seat, eyes darting everywhere as if he wanted to run away from the scene but ten's firm hold was holding him on place.

"if you're not going to look up at me, i wouldn't give an answer." ten muttered an empty threat.

Taeyong immediately looked up, trying his best to hold an eye contact with the smaller boy infront of him. And what happened next, wasn't something he expected.

Ten lifted his arms and wrapped it around taeyong's neck, gently bringing the older closer until their forehead met, "you don't know how long i've been waiting for this," ten whispered softly, closing his eyes in order to treasure this peaceful moment, "i love you too." ten confessed back, a small chuckle slipped off him, somehow felt amuse about how interesting his day actually was.

Taeyong thought his heart was going to explode with happiness. He could feel like there's a heavy burden just lifted off from his shoulders. He dared to say, he's the happiest in the world at that moment.

Taeyong smiled fondly as he examined ten's face who's too close that he had a sudden urge to kiss him but he held back. The time didn't allow him to claim what his mind was screaming at. The older snaked his hands around ten's waist, arms wrapped possessively around the younger's frame before he retracted himself a little bit to kiss ten's forehead, "happy birthday, ten." taeyong wished, breaking the comfortable silence.

 _Happy birthday?_ Ten didn't expect taeyong to remember his birthday-

Before he could even registered what's happening, the rooftop door burst open, revealing a group of boys with silly cute birthday hats, yelling and exclaiming a chorus of _surprise!!,_ _congratulations_ and _happy birthday_  to him, all of the wishes threw out in the same time.Some were holding confetti, some were holding presents. Ten's eyes landed at jaehyun who's holding a birthday cake.

Ten screamed when the realisation hit him hard, making the birthday boy hid his face in his hands, crying out loud. He heard they sang a happy birthday song, distant voices came closer until they're infront of ten, finishing it with a _saengil chukahae!_

"blow the candles, ten!!" jaehyun said, his deep dimples were shown as he grinned widely.

Ten blowed the candles, before a soft whimper slipped off his lips. Suddenly, all of the hard times he went through that day flashed in his mind.

"aw don't cry don't cry," yuta hugged ten tightly, "we're sorry for everything, its really just a part of the surprise plan." the japanese male cooed apologetically.

"he really didn't see it coming." taeyong said, before joining yuta hugging the crying boy. The whole group joined too, comforting ten who seemed like wouldn't stop crying his eyes out.

After a moment of letting everything out, ten finally calmed down, "i really didn't expect this like i almost forgot its my birthday until taeyong mentioned it just now." he said after they broke the group hug, voice sounded nasally and thick.

"yeah i guess our plan really succeed then," johnny said, wiggling his eyebrows at the shorter boy.

Ten rolled his eyes at that remark, but a smile was there ghosting over his lips, "grats at that buddies."

 

 

"but seriously, who's the culprit?" ten asked, while munching down on his chocolate cupcake.

Hansol puckered his lips in taeyong's direction who was zipping his guitar case, "your boyfriend, of course."

Ten's heart raced wildly over the reference hansol just used, "oh." he grinned, face glowing with blushes.

"ayeyeyeyey what's with that face," yuta chuckled, slinging his arm around ten's shoulders, "oh and lemme tell you this. actually all the mean parts like rejecting your calls and me being an ass to you, just really came from me and johnny, taeyong didn't poke his nose in those. i was the one who rejected your calls from his phone." yuta laughed when he saw a scowl on the younger's face.

"you're lucky i'm in a super duper good mood right now," ten hissed, "but dude seriously, thanks for everything." he shrugged, didn't want to engage into an emotional thanking-event.

"ha, no problem. but honestly you should thank taeyong, not me. he worked hard today." yuta grinned even wider, liking the happy vibe that radiated around ten, "and you know what i mean by _thank_ him, right?" the hint of mischief in yuta's voice made the blood rushing to ten's face, obviously catching the idea.

"stop making me excited." ten let his gaze glued to taeyong's back, who's seemingly engaged in a conversation with johnny and doyoung.

"go go go!" yuta encouraged the younger when he saw johnny and doyoung finally left taeyong alone, "make his knees go weak."

"the fuck yuta." ten laughed, honestly he felt entertain by that idea.

"yeah, just go ten. he seems like he's waiting for it." hansol ruffled ten's hair, smirking at the last part.

Ten hummed before he took a step forward to unlatch himself from his friends before he slowly walked to his victim. Taeyong still had his back facing ten, doing something ten couldn't see. The thai boy made sure to not made his presence obvious, wanting to surprise the older. Ten snaked his arms around taeyong's slender waist, holding him firmly before he spun taeyong around in the air. A surprise yelp which quickly changed to a fit of giggles slipped off from taeyong, "hey, bring me down!" he said between his laughter.

Ten liked how taeyong's giggles attracted the attention from his friends, letting the world know that this boy he held around his arms, was his.

He brought the older boy down, who's turning around instantly once he's set on the ground, facing ten who's looking at him with a wide playful grin, "aren't you the cutest thing alive?" ten said, chuckling over taeyong's wide-eyed expression.

Taeyong grinned, but he shook his head in disagree, "what are you talking about, you're obviously cuter." 

"nope, you're cuter!"

"no you're-" ten silenced taeyong with a kiss, which got the taller froze for a second before he relaxed, and fluttered his eyes closed, wrapping his arms around ten's neck and kissed him back gently. Ten honestly didn't know where was this huge confidence coming from but he liked it when he caught the older boy off guard.

Taeyong was the first to break the kiss, giggling slightly when ten chased after his lips, a whiny noise slipped off him, "nooooo come back." ten said as he clawed onto taeyong's fluffy sweatshirt, bringing the boy closer. Taeyong gave in, letting their lips locked together, again.

"taeyong hyung!" a distant shout that disturbed them made ten groaned into the kiss as he couldn't hide his frustration.

The boy who's being called turned around, face flushed and panting, "yeah?"

Winwin stood there froze on his spot, felt bad that he's ruining the moment, "uh- we're going back now, lets go?"

"no." ten said, pulling the older closer onto his chest in a possessive manner, "tell them he's staying. i don't care." he clasped his hands together on taeyong's front, no sign of letting go.

"o...kay." winwin awkwardly teared his gaze away from the two after he waved a goodbye at taeyong.

"hey what was that for, you're scaring him." taeyong playfully slapped ten's hands that were around his torso, - a smile tugged over his lips.

"i don't know, it just came out." ten chuckled, slowly breaking the hug.

The two then engaged into a small conversation- basically just taeyong revealing about how he planned everything. Gotta say that he really did a great job at that.

A comfortable silence lingered around them for a moment, until ten decided to break it, "taeyong?" he called.

"yeah?"

"thank you for everything." ten murmured, eyes locking with the older, wanting to show how much he appreciated what taeyong did for him.

"you're welcome," taeyong pecked ten's forehead, earning a quiet giggle from the smaller, "by the way, i bought you a present, but i think they already bring it to your dorm."

"really?" ten beamed, to be honest he almost forgot that birthday presents exist, —too distracted, "ah, honestly i wont mind if you don't give me anything. you, yourself is like a present to me." ten laughed when taeyong threw a weak punch on his chest.

"you're so cheesy oh my god how do i survive this." taeyong hid his face in his hands, causing ten to laugh even louder.

"you're so cute oh my god how do i survive this." ten mimicked between his laughter, earning another slap on his shoulder.

Taeyong's arms then made its way around ten's waist, bringing the smaller closer. He liked how ten naturally rested his hands over his chest.

"but seriously, thank you so much. It means alot to me to the point i don't know how to put it in words." ten said, he could literally felt his stomach churned painfully good over the way taeyong looked at him. His eyes were reflecting with so much emotions and affection. Ten couldn't help it when a rush of excitement pumped through his body.

"nah, its nothing really," taeyong said, "it sucked alot when i was kinda forbidden from answering your calls. i lied to them, saying winwin called me and locked myself in the balcony just to pick up your call because i couldn't fight the urge to talk to you." taeyong laughed, amused at how he sounded so lovesick.

Ten's expression softened instantly over what he just heard, heart pounding wildly against his chest, "taeyong," he called again, hands slowly moving up to wrap around the older's neck.

"hm?"

"i think i love you a little bit," ten paused, fingers ran across taeyong's hair, "...too much?"

Taeyong was internally screaming over the ridiculously cheesy confession, he thought he'd die because of the overload feels, but he managed to reply back just with the same amount of cheese, "i think i love you a little bit too much too...?" he ended it with a tone that sounded like a question, just like ten.

A giggle slipped out from ten's mouth. The way taeyong said it, made it sounded so cute with his head slightly tilted, and those adorable doe eyes that were crinkled up into crescent moons as he cracked a shy grin, "you're crazily cute i'm-"

People called this revenge. Sweet revenge to be more specific.

Taeyong swallowed the small noise of surprise that came out from ten, silencing him with a kiss. The older tightened his hold around ten, completely closing the gap as he pressed their bodies together. Ten's fingers moved to tangle in taeyong's hair just as he felt the arms around his waist drew him closer.

Taeyong smiled into the kiss, liking the feeling of ten's fingers ran through his hair, messing it up. 

It was when ten let out a purring-like noise, that taeyong decided to pull away, too dangerous to continue.

"stop making noises, those are triggering." taeyong warned, earning a breathy chuckle from the smaller.

"i wonder who's the reason behind those noises." ten tapped his chin with his index finger in wonder.

Taeyong blushed furiously, "you're so lucky we have classes tomorrow," taeyong squinted his eyes at ten, pretending to look annoyed but failed when his face was itching to crack a smile, "speaking of that, i think we need to go back to the dorm now since its late, and we're tired so lets go?"

"yeah okay, lets go!" 

Taeyong went to pick his guitar case, slinging it over his shoulder, mentally thanking the guitar. If not because of it, taeyong wouldn't have ten's fingers lacing with his right now, eyes staring back at him with the same amount of adoration and love.

Guess it wasn't really a bad day after all. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THE STORY HAS JUST BEGUN


	10. During the Daytime

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oMFfFfFffFFFF WAT IS THIS GARBAGE

Ten sure wasn't a morning person, but the first thing greeted his sight when he opened his eyes that morning, made him smiled instantly, which was crazy because smile didn't exist in ten's life dictionary in the morning, and its freaking 6:30AM. Ten was sure he looked creepy but it wasn't his fault that taeyong looked like a piece of art, peacefully sleeping infront of him with his rhythmical breathing, curling up into a ball; in a state that's totally unguarded. 

"taeyong, wake up." ten half-whispered. It was obviously useless to wake someone up using that volume.

Ten patted taeyong's cheek gently, "you told me you have morning class today?" he brushed the hair strand out of taeyong's eyes, smiling slightly when he saw taeyong frowned and curled even deeper into his chest.

"5 more minutes." taeyong said, voice extra rough and raspy.

Taeyong tangled his leg with ten's, trapping the younger so that he could sleep some more with his personal pillow, but life wasn't doing great with him, taeyong thought.

"wake up sleepyhead! no skipping class today, up up up rise and shine!" ten said, sitting up and pulled taeyong's arm with him, making the older sat up too, looking all lazy and sleepy.

Taeyong groaned when ten continued to push and pulled his arm in attempt to make him wide awake, "lemme just die i hate morning classes." he started to talk gibberish, eyes still closed, too tired.

Ten gave up and get out from the bed, walking to his closet, "what do you want to wear today?"

"anything."

The thai boy flipped onto his clothes, finding the one he thought would be nice for taeyong. They're just lucky their clothes size weren't really a huge problem but pants...... okay, "taeyong, i don't think you fit my jeans??" ten said, turning around to look at taeyong who's still sitting on the bed, elbow propped against his lap while he placed his head in his palm, sleepily looking at ten.

"i don't know, my brain can't function now." taeyong said, eyes fluttering closed.

"how about shorts?"

"i hate shorts."

"you said anything is fine?!"

Taeyong chuckled when he saw ten subtly stomped his feet in frustration, his bed hair sticking out everywhere and its ridiculously cute in the older's eyes.

"borrow yuta's then?" ten suggest, "i believe he's your size-"

"no its okay, i'll just wear your shorts."

"oh?" ten raised his eyebrow in confusion at the sudden changes of decision, "okay then."

Taeyong get out from the bed and stood up straight to stretch his body. His bone cracking when he twisted his upper body, making the boy massaged his back using his knuckles as he felt his back ached a little.

"you look like an old man." ten laughed, walking to taeyong with a blue towel in his hand. He put the towel over taeyong's head, squishing the sleepy boy's face, "big baby need to shower now, go go go!" ten turned taeyong around and slowly pushed the older to the bathroom.

Since ten was in a super good mood, he decided to make breakfast for them both. Ten's class would be started at 10 (no pun intended) but now he woke up early and already washed his face and brushed his teeth and everything seemed nice in his eyes right now, _but_ he's hungry, and so he thought this was the moment for french toast to shine.

 

 

Ten was in the kitchen, already had the french toast ready on the plate and now he's making his morning hot chocolate and he swore he heard something at the back of his head just screamed at him to go back to sleep.

He stopped when he heard footsteps coming closer, heading to where he's at before the person plopped himself onto the bar stool and a rustle with a clinking sound of the bag zipper dumped over the kitchen counter also could be heard. Ten turned around, exaggerating a gasp when he saw taeyong was there resting his chin in his palm, looking dashing as hell. The boy looked all ready and perfect to start the day, even though he's wearing a straight and bored face.

The thai boy walked to taeyong, a wide playful grin stretched across his lips. Ten bent into half until his elbow propped against the kitchen counter, mimicking taeyong's pose as he placed his chin in his palm, "wow, who's this hottie?" he asked playfully while batting his eyelashes, faces dangerously close, "i must be asleep because _damn_  baby _,_  you look like a dream."

"ten!" taeyong straightened up, a grin gracing his lips before he broke into a laughter, "its just 7:15AM and you're doing this!" he hit ten's arm, earning an amused chuckle from the shorter.

"we need to start the day with a wide smile you know," ten wiggled his eyebrows playfully, before he stood up straight to reach for his hot chocolate, "so, what's your first class?"

"history." taeyong said, munching down his french toast.

"stay strong." ten patted taeyong's shoulder, faking a sympathy with his eyes twinkling with mischief.

 

 

"miss me," taeyong said after he finished tying his shoelace, wiggling his eyebrows at the thai boy who looked up at him with a huge goofy smile.

"you're still here but i miss you already?" ten laughed when the lean boy who's wearing his long sleeve black & white stripe shirt with a pair of black knee-shorts, scrunching up his nose adorably over ten's remark.

"you're so unhealthy." taeyong cupped ten's face in his hands, making the thai boy stood on his tippy-toes as taeyong pressed his lips over ten's and the older didn't seem to let go even when ten weakly hit his chest. If anything, the gross smooching noise get even louder that it made the little boy's laughter rumbled in the back of his throat.

"serve your right." taeyong said once he pulled away. 

 

* * *

 

When yuta woke up, it was around 8:30 and the room was quiet. He peeked down at the bottom bunk but ten wasn't there. From what he remember, that punk didn't have early morning class today.

Yuta get down from his top bunk, slowly walking out from the room, all lazy and messy. His hair looked like a bird nest that sticking out everywhere and he's just in a pair of boxer and an extremely oversize t-shirt that hugged his petite frame, drooping down from his right shoulder. He yawned loudly while walking to the living room, rubbing his heavy crusty eyes, "ten?" he called out when he saw ten was sprawling on the couch, sleeping.

The younger didn't budge, but there's something caught yuta's attention that made the japanese  _almost_  wide awake.

Yuta went to the sleeping boy, taking his wrist to examine the red and swollen skin over ten's left forearm. Frown encased the japanese's features because from what he remember, ten didn't tell anything about this, nor he saw anything like ten injured himself yesterday, "ten, wake up," yuta woke the thai boy up, patting his thigh repeatedly, "oh my god, what happened to your hand?"

"somebody spilled hot coffee on me yesterday." ten slurred sleepily.

"which degree is this?"

Ten showed two fingers to yuta, "second."

Yuta raised his eyebrows, surprised, "and then?"

"and then what?"

"you didn't tell me or- wait taeyong knows?"

"no."

"why- i mean what?? is he an insensitive dimwit isn't this fucking obvious??" yuta let go of ten's hand and sat on the younger's legs on the couch, earning an exaggerated groan of pain from ten.

"don't call him that! i wore long sleeve just now," he wiggled his legs to push yuta off of him but seemed like the older wouldn't budge, "its too ugly i'm scared to show to people," ten chuckled dryly, "its not that bad, its okay."

Yuta stood up, walking to the kitchen, "yeah sure, tell that to taeyong," yuta ruffled his hair roughly; a habit he always did especially in the morning, "and johnny, ugh god why seo youngho exists in my life," he opened the fridge, "i stayed with taeyong almost-" yuta was cut off by his own gasp, palm covering his mouth and his eyes widened in shock. Exaggerating reaction, really.

The japanese male bent over the fridge to take the plate and placed it over the countertop, 5 chocolate cupcakes circling on the plate, screaming for yuta to eat them, "wow did you save these for me......"

"don't flatter yourself, those are mine." ten answered nonchalantly, but an annoyed groan slipped off him when he saw yuta's happy and bright expression turned cloudy and sad. No wonder, hansol  _never_ say no to him, "oh lord, don't look at me like i just kill your pet! take it if you want but three is mine."

Yuta laughed before he shouted, "your the best, ten!"

"yes you're welcome," ten walked to the kitchen, joining yuta, "by the way, what did you say just now?"

"i stayed with taeyong for almost the whole day yesterday and its enough for me to say he's the king of freaking out." yuta said, finished admiring the cupcake and decided to finally pick one,"your bestfriend is the king of overreact and your boyfriend is the king of freaking out, ha yes goodluck mate."

Ten laughed, shoving yuta's shoulder harshly.

 

* * *

 

Break time. Ten finally had a pretty huge time gap until his next class and he's so happy that he finally could have a break.

Ten went inside of the cafeteria and his tired face lit up when he saw hansol and johnny was there eating on their usual spot, chatting happily; about their day most probably.

"yo yo yo!" johnny waved at the shorter when he saw ten's walking to their table.

"hey kiddo, i can see you're glowing with happiness." hansol said, chuckling while eyeing the thai boy who's taking the seat next to johnny.

"of course! i'm the king today." ten laughed over his own words, "ah, this is one of those moments when i wish this lousy cafeteria to have waiters," he placed the side of his face against his right forearm, lying lazily on the table, "so tired." ten closed his eyes for a moment.

Johnny spared a glance at the younger who looked like he'd sleep right then and there. Ten looked totally worn out, and johnny couldn't help it when he felt the overly concern washed over him. He then poked ten's cheek until the younger opened his eyes and johnny pushed his lunch tray to ten, "take this."

Johnny offered an untouched double cheese burger like,  _who didn't want it?_

Ten straightened up, he obviously didn't expect such thing to happen, "but-"

"i already ate just now so," johnny waved it off like it didn't matter at all when it actually _did_ matter since he hadn't eat anything since morning.

"you sure?" ten said, trying to play push and pull when his hand already slowly pulling the plate to him, "what about if we share?"

Johnny shrugged, "i'm fine with anything actually."

Ten opened the burger wrapper before he took a huge bite of it. He almost rolled his eyes to the back of his head at how delicious the burger was.

"so how's your night with taeyong?" hansol asked after a moment of staying out from the scene.

"why your question sounded so wrong," ten laughed quietly, scared he'd choke on his burger, "very great, of course. and i made him wear my shorts because you know my jeans wouldn't fit them long legs."

Hansol snickered over the self-diss remark, "by the way, you're going tonight?"

"where?" ten asked, brows furrowed in confusion.

"hangang? i don't know but they said its going to be a friday night routine to hang over there." johnny enlightened.

"that's a good idea-" ten stopped midway when he felt like there's a dust went inside of his right eye, making it stung and itchy at the same time. Ten hastily rubbed his eye but there's a strong hold that pulled his hand away to stop him from rubbing it any further.

"hey, don't rub it." johnny lifted ten's chin slightly before he brushed the fringe out from the younger's forehead, blowing gently into ten's red right eye.

Ten blinked his eyes defensively at the sudden air-intruding, but stopped when johnny held his eye opened, which ten almost laughed at how focused johnny looked at that moment, "don't move!" the older scolded half-heartedly, but a smile tugged over his lips.

He blinked his eyes again before he let johnny blew some more, shooing the dirt out from his eye, "do you know you'd scratch your cornea when you rub your eyes especially when there's something inside there." he said, after retracting himself back.

"yeah, i know." ten blinked his eyes a few more times before it felt normal again and went back to give attention to his burger.

"and then why you- hmph!" johnny was cut off by ten who shoved the burger into his mouth.

Hansol hi-five the thai boy, both laughing loudly like crazy kids, attracting attention from people around them, not like they cared, "you should've seen your face!" ten said.

Noticing the glare in johnny's face, ten enveloped his giant bestfriend into a side-hug, "okay okay, i'm sorry," he said, chuckling slightly, "thank you, johnny." ten tightened his hold around the older, rocking his friend slightly.

Johnny's shoulders slumped forward, hating how ten could break down all his walls just in a snap of his fingers, "yeah, okay."

 

* * *

 

Doyoung slumped his back against the chair, sitting lazily like he had no back bone. The library was empty and quiet since most of the students already dismissed from the day and went out to enjoy their friday and the rest of the weekend.

But it obviously the opposite to doyoung who's stuck in the library with jaehyun who needed to finish his assignment and currently was doing it in a turbo speed. Jaehyun said his assignment needed to be submitted by email at the night so it made sense why the boy was so serious in doing it now.

One of doyoung's hobby was to disturb jaehyun while he's doing something and now was one of those moments. Doyoung swung his leg to lay it over jaehyun's lap, boring holes into jaehyun's face whose gaze still glued on his laptop screen, obviously not going to let doyoung won and gave the attention the older wanted.

Doyoung continued shooting laser out from his eyes, but still didn't say anything.

"what is it." jaehyun finally spoke up, but fingers still dancing on top of his keyboard.

"i'm hungry."

"eat me, then."

Jaehyun laughed out loud when doyoung shoved his shoulder, his booming laughter showed that he obviously didn't care they're in a library, "what do you want to eat?" jaehyun asked after their laughter slowed down.

"jjampong!" doyoung chirped.

"okay, lemme finish this and then we'll go eat whatever you want to eat." jaehyun smiled softly, dimples showing off.

Doyoung stretched his hand, sticking out his index finger to poke jaehyun's dimple, chuckling slightly when the younger broke into a huge grin. His hand then made its way to jaehyun's hair, sliding his fingers up jaehyun's undercut and into his thick hair before doyoung loosely fisted the soft, lustrous hair and tugged on it gently, earning a soft groan from the younger. Doyoung stifled a laugh when he felt jaehyun tensed underneath his touch, slowly retracting his hand away from the poor boy as he finally decided to leave jaehyun alone to focus on his work.

"i think i should call taeyong to ask him if he wants anything," doyoung sunk back into his seat, dialing taeyong's number. He turned his head around to look if there's a librarian looking their way or if anybody was there and when he's convinced there's nobody, doyoung put the call on speaker. Library or not,  _who cares?_

_"what."_

"can't you greet me nicely, what the hell." doyoung rolled his eyes.

_"yeah, what."_

Jaehyun laughed when doyoung straightened up frantically, ready to spit fire into the phone but was cut off by jaehyun, "hyung, we're going to buy some food before going back to the dorm, do you want anything?"

 _"i feel like eating fast food today though,"_ Taeyong paused,  _"uh, wait for awhile."_

Silence for a moment until a giggle that sure wasn't coming from taeyong could be heard blaring through the speaker,  _"i think just a set of double cheese burger, as usual."_

"that's all?"

_"yeah."_

"anything more you wanna say before i die on you?" doyoung chuckled at his own remark.

_"no-"_

"where you at though?"

 _"in your heart!"_ the cheery voice said with a laughter followed after his words before a sound of loud little wrestle came into the line.

Jaehyun raised his eyebrows, turning his head to the side instinctively when he heard the foreign-accented voice, "ten? is that you?"

 _"no, this is taeyong."_ the said boy chuckled,  _"okay i'm hanging up, thanks for your concern everyone. bye."_

The call ended just like that, making both of the boys went speechless for no apparent reason, "okay........bye..."

 

* * *

 

Taeyong sighed when he finally get into the bus and went to take his usual seat beside the glass window. Tired and exhausted because of his long friday, but the thought of meeting ten in a few stops more, managed to make taeyong smiled unconsciously.

The tired boy rested his head against the window, eyes wandering on the outside. He's just about to fall asleep, when his phone suddenly ringed, making the boy frowned, feeling annoyed at the sudden interruption. He picked up the call, "what."

 _"can't you greet me nicely, what the hell."_ he could literally heard doyoung rolling his eyes in annoyance which got taeyong smiled devilishly.

"yeah, what."

A chuckle followed by, which taeyong guessed was coming from jaehyun;  _"hyung, we're going to buy some food before going back to the dorm, do you want anything?"_

"i feel like eating fast food today though," taeyong paused when the bus halted infront of the familiar bus stop, "uh, wait for awhile."

Taeyong permanent resting bitch face immediately broke into a huge-creepy-idiotic grin when he saw ten went inside the bus and the thai boy reflected his grin while he walked to take the seat beside taeyong, who's lazily stretched his arm to reach ten when the boy was near enough. The younger took it and was pulled gently to sit down. Taeyong interlaced their fingers together, before he leaned in to rest his forehead against ten's temple, rubbing his nose against the younger's cheek affectionately, earning a giggle from the smaller, "i think just a set of double cheese burger, as usual." taeyong retracted himself a little bit.

_"that's all?"_

"yeah."

 _"anything more you wanna say before i die on you?"_  

"no-"

"where _you at though?"_

Ten heard doyoung's voice asking taeyong about his whereabout, "in your heart!" ten laughed before it changed to a high-pitched squeal when taeyong enveloped him into a headlock and peppered his face with ~~violent~~ kisses, making the younger boy laughed out loud because its ticklish(they attracted attention from people around them, rolling eyes and shooting dirty looks at the two. you think they cared? obviously no.)

Taeyong just really couldn't handle such adorable creature, its really not his fault, atleast he thought so.

 _"ten? is that you?"_ jaehyun voice calling out from the other line.

"no, this is taeyong." he chuckled, "okay i'm hanging up, thanks for your concern everyone. bye."

Taeyong hung up instantly, flashing a grin to the boy in his arms, "so how's your day?" he asked, slowly letting go of the younger boy.

"nice! my classmates sang happy birthday song in the hallway just now woah, it was cute and.... embarassing a little bit," ten pinched his thumb against his index finger together, showing to taeyong how much of a  _little bit_ it was.

Taeyong chuckled at that little remark, "so good," he watched as ten leaned back against his seat, mimicking his lazy posture, "how about your groupmates? have they apologise to you or something?"

"oh yes, they apologised this morning." ten flashed a grin, it wasn't one normal smile, it was _soft,_ and it made taeyong screamed internally because _G_ _od_ , that was adorable.

"yeah they better be because if not, they gonna see this face," taeyong pointed at his face, "infront of their house."

Ten laughed whole-heartedly, "that's pretty scary," ten's hands itched for a contact and so it went searching for taeyong's, fiddling those bony-slender fingers silently, "yuta said i look like a panda zombie version." he pouted.

"if you're a panda zombie version and then what is this," taeyong laughed while pointing at his face again.

"a juon?"

Ten laughed again for the nth time that day, when taeyong hit his thigh in attempt to look mad but _oh_ yes taeyong, try again next time.

"okay i'm sorry," ten kissed the back of taeyong's hand, finding it cute how the older's sulky face immediately softened, "you going tonight?"

"hangang?" taeyong tilted his head slightly.

Ten nodded, eyes boring holes into taeyong's face as he expecting a positive answer, "yeah, i'm going."

"same!" the younger hollered, bringing taeyong's hand that still tightly held in his to punch air, looking like an excited child.

They talked some more, continued chatting about their day. Ten didn't remember when and how it happened but before he could even realise it, taeyong already had a strong grip around ten's left forearm, unintentionally squeezing over his covered blister. Ten yanked his hand away, a little bit too forceful in taeyong's opinion that it made the older frowned after hearing the sudden yelp coming out from ten's mouth, "ow taeyong-"

The thai boy slowly rolled up his long sleeve, revealing his injured hand and he gasped when the clear fluid sipping out from his previously closed blister,  _it popped._ Ten looked at taeyong who was looking back at him with his eyes widening in pure shock and terror, colour drained from his face, looking stunned as ever.

"ten, what happened?! what did i just......do..."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm here to trigger your johnten feels jk (sURPRISEEEE BUNNIES HE'S NOT MOVING ON. **YET.** )


	11. Je suis désolé

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **"Genuine concern sometimes comes with anger."**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _je suis désolé ; i'm sorry_

Taeyong dragged ten by his uninjured hand all the way to the thai boy's dorm, saying nothing, just a firm hold around ten's wrist with an extremely frowny and pissed off expression plastered on his face. Ten couldn't help it when he felt himself shrinking into a plankton size at every moves they took.

Taeyong was mad.

At himself.

They finally arrived infront of ten's dorm and the younger was mentally thanking God that he had tell taeyong about his dorm's security code earlier, because he didn't think the older would ask him _nicely_ about it, that for sure.

Taeyong swung the door opened until the doorknob slammed against the wall behind the door, making ten flinched slightly over the impact. The older threw his bag across the living room, obviously didn't care where it'd land, still dragging the injured boy all the way to the bathroom. Taeyong grumbled lowly underneath his breath in a rapid pace of korean and ten really didn't have any idea what the hell taeyong was saying, he just caught a few of heavy cussing phrases here and there, and that's all.

Ten was thanking God for the second time because the bathroom door was magically opened when they arrived there, if not, he sure will flinch himself to ant size for the second time because  _damn._

They went inside the bathroom and taeyong's eyes started to wander wildly all over the place, trying to find the things that were needed to treat the popped blister before he let go of ten's wrist and pointed to the bathroom countertop, "sit there."

Ten was a little bit startled to hear such stern tone coming out from the usually very soft-spoken boy, that it made the poor thai boy quickly scrambled his way to the countertop and hopped on there, sitting silently, didn't dare to say a word. Of course.

"ugh fuck, i wish this is my dorm," taeyong muttered underneath his breath, "do you have any antiobiotic ointment?" he asked ten.

"yeah, uh i think its on top of yuta's desk," before ten could even finished, taeyong already fled out from the bathroom, "yuta's desk is the one with a set of ninja turtles toys placed on it!" he shouted, hoping the older could hear him.

"where's the bandage?!" taeyong yelled from inside the room after he found the goddamn ointment.

"bandage bandage bandage- oh yes its in my closet!"

Taeyong made a funny face at this, because  _who the fuck keep a bandage inside of their closet?!_

"seriously, you guys need to organize things properly so that its easier to find things." he started to nag while half-running to the bathroom again.

He put all the things over the countertop, before he grabbed ten's wrist again and pulled the thai boy down to stand on his feet.

A warm water gushed through ten's opened blister and it surprisingly didn't hurt that much, at least not like how he expected it'd feel.

Ten hopped on the countertop again after finished washing his blister, and now the frowny boy was making its comeback.

When ten thought taeyong already came back to his usual calm self but he's absolutely wrong. The moment taeyong opened the antibiotic ointment bottle cap, the atmosphere turned tense again, and the tight frown over taeyong's face didn't do anything better either.

"if this get infected i'm so going to hell." taeyong murmured as if he's talking to himself but of course ten could catch that.

Ten was so close to slap taeyong across his _pretty_ face to shake some senses into the boy and tell him to stop freaking out because its not like ten was on the verge of giving birth or what, its just a popped blister for god's sake.

"does it hurt?" taeyong gently smoothed down the skin flap that remained.

"yeah a little bit."

"when did you get this?"

"its okay taeyong its just-"

"answer me."

"yesterday-"

Taeyong stopped all his movement for a moment, looking up at ten, "and why didn't you tell me earlier?! we're together until morning and you didn't bother to tell-"

Ten frowned, the tone and volume taeyong was using, somehow managed to trigger him to lose his patience, "do you expect me to shove this on your face??" his voice raised defensively. His remark was pretty illogical, but it kinda stung in taeyong's ears.

Taeyong glared sharply at the boy, shifting his attention back to his unfinished cleaning work, his hold around ten's wrist tightened a little bit, _"i'm still a hyung to you, you remember that right."_

Ten didn't say anything back to fight that fact and both of them didn't say anything even until taeyong finished covering ten's injured forearm in a loose bandage.

It was terrible to have taeyong not looking up at him at all even after he finished treating ten's injury, and ten swore he never felt like a dick before.

The thai boy just about to open his mouth to apologise, but taeyong quickly cut him off, "don't wear your bandage too tightly." he said flatly, walking out from the bathroom to put the antibiotic ointment at its original place, with ten just tailing silently behind him.

Ten honestly looked like a sad cat boy with his imaginary ears flattened over his head, feeling upset.

The older made his way to the front door, still didn't bother to spare ten a glance, "if that  _thing_ get infected it'll be very bad so treat it properly." taeyong said quietly, twisting the doorknob opened.

Ten nodded even though taeyong couldn't see him. He fidgeted on his feet with guilt written all over his face as he watched taeyong tying his shoelace.

Too much hard feelings, that it lingered on the air.

Taeyong turned around after he finished with his shoes, gently taking ten's wrist to pull the smaller a little closer before he leaned in and kissed the younger's forehead, "take care."

And with that, he left without any further words nor waiting for ten to react or say something.

Ten didn't know why he started to tear up.

 

* * *

 

Sure, doyoung was pretty argumentative, but he knew exactly when to  _not_ bother his hyung.

The moment taeyong came inside the dorm, its already enough to tell its not a good idea to even say hello.

So he didn't,  _they_ didn't.

"from what i remember, he sounded happy with ten just now." doyoung said quietly, sipping on his strawberry milk.

"fighting maybe. you know how sensitive he could be." jaehyun sighed.

"and complicated."

"yeah and-" jaehyun's mouth hang opened, leaving the conversation hanging when taeyong suddenly came into the kitchen, bringing in his intimidating vibe along into the place and suddenly everything felt cold to the couple.

Taeyong quickly went to take the McDonald's paper bag, muttering a small  _thanks_ before he fled out from there, and went to eat somewhere else that was free from humans.

 

* * *

 

Ten rested his head over yuta's lap, joining the japanese boy in watching ninja turtles.

"and then what you said to him?" yuta asked, eyes still glued on the tv screen.

"i said _do you expect me to shove this on your face,_ i swear it was an accident."

Yuta chuckled before he broke into a laughter, "man, you fucked up real nice." he said between his laughter while wiping his non-existent tears. 

Ten rolled his eyes in annoyance, didn't expect to have his friend to laugh at his rant like its the funniest joke he'd ever heard in his life, "not funny yuta."

The thai boy snatched the remote control from yuta and changed the channel because spongebob squarepants was starting in a minute.

Ten ignored the intense yelling coming from yuta, pretending like the boy wasn't there in the first place.

Yuta stopped abruptly when the front door opened, making the two foreigners instinctively looked at the door, just to see hansol standing in the doorway with a red little box in his hand. He held it up, "your cupcake." directing it to yuta.

"and our pizza!!" johnny popped out from somewhere and pushed hansol aside harshly, almost making the older slammed flat against the door. Ten laughed out loud at the scene happening infront of him, before he jumped off the couch and ran to the giants because its pizza.

 

 

It was in the middle of eating, ten decided its time to spill everything to everyone about his current state of injury, "guys, look." he rolled his long sleeve, showing the loose fresh bandage around his forearm.

Johnny who's just about to take a huge bite of the pizza he's holding, froze on his spot as his eyes focused on the bandage. His expression was funny, and ten wanted to laugh at that, but he knew better _not_ to do that.

The kitchen fell dead silence for a moment, and ten honestly really didn't expect that kind of situation to happen. He didn't even know what's with the silence though, they're usually not like that.

"what happened?" hansol was the first to break the icy silence.

"second degree burn," he said awkwardly, sipping on his coffee, "a boy accidentally spilled his hot coffee and it fell on my forearm."

Hansol grimaced when he heard the word  _spill_ and  _coffee_ in one sentence, a quick flash of his own tragic first meeting with yuta back then, came into his mind.

Johnny's eyes widened at the mention of second degree burn, "and then why are you wearing a bandage?"

"because the blister popped?"

"it popped by itself right?" johnny asked, voice laced with obvious concern.

"taeyong accidentally squeezed it."

_Fuck._

"huh??? he what????!" johnny's frown get deeper as his voice raised slightly.

Ten shot yuta a death glare,  _why the hell you told him that?!_ he screamed in his head as he sent his friend a look, rubbing his face in frustration.

"highlight word accidentally. its not his fault, okay." ten said, rolling his sleeve down again.

"what do you mean by its not his fault???? if that thing turn green are you still going to say _its not his fault_???" johnny switched to english, literally screaming on the younger's face.

"am i hearing thing or did you just really put all the blame on your bestfriend?" ten shot back, his poker face didn't waver a slightest bit.

Yuta and hansol literally jaw-dropping over the intense foreign language conversation that was happening infront of them.

Johnny took a bite on his pizza, glaring at the younger, "aren't you a prick."

"yeah sure call me that," ten sighed, all he wanted right now was to _not_ make any other fight, because that'd be really a migraine-worthy to handle, so he tried his best to tame his sharp tongue, "dude its just a fucking popped blister its not like i broke my arm-"

Johnny smacked ten's head, it didn't hurt at all, it almost felt like johnny just pushed his head, but its enough to make tears welling up in his eyes, "oh my god, you seriously need to understand  _why_ people are so worried even if its something you call _just a fucking popped blister_ -" he stopped midway of his sentence when he heard a sniffling sound coming from the boy beside him.

"johnny i think.... you're being too harsh." yuta's voice trailed off, unsure on what's happening.

The tall boy panicked. He almost jolt up from his seat the moment he saw ten's tears trickling down his chin.

"ten..." he took the boy's hands to make him turn to look at him but ten shook his head in protest.

"what's up with everyone today," ten said, head bowing down as he set his gaze on his lap, voice cracked at the end but he quickly covered himself up with a dry chuckle, "so grumpy."

"no dude, we're just worried," johnny tried to reach both of ten's hands again, heaving sigh of relief when the boy didn't retract back, "c'mon ten, don't take anything to heart, i'm sorry okay."

Yuta went to the crying boy, wrapping his arms around ten's shoulders from behind, "where's my incredibly fierce roommate? he usually isn't a crybaby," he swayed ten back and forth, in attempt to comfort the boy, making the thai boy chuckled slightly, "now, chin up kiddo."

"i have candies in case you need it to pump your glucose level," hansol laughed, fishing something from inside of his pocket, "tada!" he opened his palm, offering the various flavour of candies.

Ten smiled, wiping his wet cheeks hastily, before he took one of the candy, "your the best!" 

 

* * *

 

"have you ever get any burn injury?" taeyong asked winwin who's eating his chips with passion while watching doraemon.

Winwin nodded, "got it on my thigh and i was tempted to pop the blister, so i did." he laughed to himself.

Taeyong grimaced,  _that must hurt alot.._

"and then did it get infected??"

The chinese boy nodded again, "because you know, it's on my inner thigh so....yeah, its ridiculously hard to take care of," he shrugged, "then it get so painful and there's a greenish-yellowish pur over the blister, like ew." winwin shuddered exaggeratedly, laughing out loud when he saw taeyong's terror expression, "why? did you get one?"

"no-" taeyong was cut off by his phone that was ringing angrily on top of the coffee table, and his stomach tightened when he saw the caller id.

"lets die together with me." he said to winwin dramatically, clutching onto the younger's hand tightly before he swiped the green button to answer the call.

_"BITCH, IT HASN'T EVEN REACHED 24 HOURS YET AND YOU ALREADY CAUSED A DAMAGE?!"_

Taeyong instantly pulled the phone away from his ear, wincing slightly because johnny was screaming into the phone and it was  _so_ loud.

Winwin roared with laughter at what he just heard, even though he couldn't catch and understand anything properly. Its not his fault that johnny sounded so funny.

"i swear to fuck, stop screaming and speak korean."

 

* * *

 

Not taeyong nor ten tried to initiate a way to stop the cold wrath so when ten went to hangang with his friends that night, he really didn't know if taeyong would be there or not. But ten swore if taeyong was there, he'd attack the older with apologizes.

So when ten saw taeyong was there, standing with his front facing the beautiful river, ten didn't think much and just went running to the boy, enveloping him in a bone-crushing backhug, "taeyoooooong," he cooed, face buried into the crook of the older's neck.

Taeyong really didn't expect such thing to happen, like he didn't even know ten was coming in the first place so he couldn't help it when his muscles tensed up over the sudden contact, but he eventually relaxed after a moment, still didn't say anything in reply.

Ten, who thought he already transformed into a cat boy, because he could literally felt his imaginary ears flattened again over the lack of reaction he got from the older, broke the hug and stood infront of taeyong. He took both of the older boy's hands, looking up to look at taeyong in the eyes but sighed dramatically when the older looked away instantly.

Taeyong was sulking.

"i'm sorry~" he sing-song, swaying taeyong's hands back and forth, trying his best to look and  _sound_ cute.

The sulky boy was obviously was having the hardest time in his life, as he fought with himself to not crack a smile and let the little boy won.

Ten couldn't help but laughed lightly because _taeyong was cute when he's like this,_ he thought, "look at what i bring," he held a toblerone highly in his hand and waved it infront of taeyong, making the older's eyes followed the long bar of chocolate waved infront of his face, but he quickly looked away again before he fell into the trap.

The thai boy pouted sadly, almost gave up, but a sudden bulb was turning on inside of his head, making the said boy's face lit up, "taeyong taeyong taeyong," he swayed the older's hands again, almost looked like an eager child, "look at what i'm wearing,"

Taeyong almost screamed the moment he looked down at ten, because the younger was wearing the hoodie taeyong gave him as a birthday gift. Its just a simple dark-grey hoodie but it looked so nice on ten and _oh god_ sweater paws were taeyong's absolute weakness. His gaze softened completely and a small smile stretched across his lips, "you look adorable with it," he said in a hushed tone, earning a ridiculous fanboy squeal from his little boy.

Ten slid the toblerone he bought for taeyong inside of the older's pocket hoodie, before he engulfed the boy into a bone-crushing hug again, muttering almost-gibberish  _sorrys_  with his face buried into taeyong's chest, listening to the older's rapid heartbeat.

Taeyong sighed, its crazy how he thought he wouldn't give in to ten but now look where he was.  _Whipped._

"i'm sorry too," he wrapped his arms around the younger's frame, nuzzling in ten's hair and inhaled the strawberry-scented shampoo that's coming from his freshly washed hair, sweet and addictive just like the boy, "have you changed your bandage?"

Ten's heart melted into a puddle at that question, its amusing how taeyong still cared to ask about it, "yeah i changed it before i came," his voice muffled in taeyong's clothes.

"johnny yelled at me on the phone just now, you know." taeyong grumbled lowly, didn't want his friends around him to hear his complain, "i got a very very long ass painful lecture from him, and he kept on switching to english and i seriously was so done with my life."

He kept on ranting and ten couldn't help but laughed silently at the way taeyong was complaining about the harsh nag-session he got from johnny, "and he told me that you cried but he didn't tell me why, so now tell me what's wrong?" the older boy broke the hug to look at ten in the eyes. Concern washed over him again.

"stress." ten mumbled underneath his breath, "i don't know, i'm just stress with college and kinda homesick too." he sighed wearily, "everything mixed up, so it burst out just like that!" ten made an exploding motion with his hands, followed by an exaggerated explosion noise before he broke into a laughter.

Taeyong smiled, he wanted to laugh along with the younger but he couldn't find the topic as funny, "don't you contact your parents often?"

"not really," ten sighed, sadness written all over his face, and taeyong swore he could feel his heart sank down into the pit of his stomach, "they're too busy to pick up my call, and i'm too busy to call them." he chuckled dryly.

Taeyong did this noise in the back of his throat, that usually coming from an upset puppy, hugging ten tightly to comfort the homesick boy, "you went through alot, it is so unfair," he continued whispering comforting words into the younger's ears, lacing with some very attempted dry jokes that eventually making the shorter laughed. Taeyong was more than happy to hear those contagious laughter to slip off ten's mouth every now and then.

"but really, i'm always here, available for 24/7 to  _take_ those stress away, if you know what i'm saying," taeyong wiggled his eyebrows, eyes twinkling with mischief as he stared down at the thai boy.

"you pervert!" ten whacked taeyong's chest a little bit ~~not~~ too weak, laughing out loud when the older faked a pain expression. He just about to say something when he heard a not-so-distant noise.

"wow," yuta clapped, "k-drama worthy, i must say."

Winwin joined the clapping event, "deserve drama of the year award!"

Jaehyun laughed loudly. His booming laughter almost made the trees near them shook, "damn i'd vote for them though," he said in between his laughter, clapping quietly.

If not because ten was holding his hands, taeyong sure he'd already shoved his middle finger(s) to everyone's face.

"okay okay," winwin walked to the duo, slinging his arms around each of them, "now its time to eat, i'm so hungry and i'm craving for ramyeon, so kaja!" he hollered, and the rest of the boys made a loud noise of cheering as they exaggerated their reactions, getting attention from the passerby and teens around them, which made their ridiculous wolf-whistling noise get even louder, because that's how they rolled.

"kaja!!" they shouted, half of them ran forward and the boys were dispersing all over the place as they raced to reach the convenience store.

Yuta took off his flannel and flailed it highly on the air, telling the whole universe that he's the first to arrive there. When hansol came as the second, yuta beat hansol's ass with the flannel, using it as if it was a whip.

The japanese boy ran into the convenience store, laughing hysterically while hansol chased after him.

Winwin, taeyong and ten didn't run with the rest, they just walked casually and took their own sweet time, inhaling the fresh night air, smiling and laughing to no end over the scene that was happening ahead of them.

The chinese boy who still had his arms slinging around the two boys, broke the comfortable silence, "ten hyung," he called out, looking at the boy on his right.

"yeah?"

"treat me ice cream."

The way winwin was looking at ten with his extremely serious expression that looked like he'd slit ten's throat open if the thai boy didn't treat him ice cream, made ten laughed out loud, "yeah, why not?"

The taller boy flashed his goofy smile, before he slowly stepped out and walked a few steps ahead from the couple, walking backwards, "wo ai ni!" he shoot hearts to ten which got taeyong rolled his eyes, but smiling nevertheless.

"guys!" winwin then shouted, half-running to approach the squad, "free ice cream for the night!!" he yelled, and another loud cheering noise echoed throughout the place, everybody jumping up and down like a bunch of happy kindergarten kids, being as embarrassing as they could be.

Ten's eyes widened, but his huge smile seemed like it get stitched over his face, "what is this conspiration??" he asked nobody in particular, but his head turned to look at the boy beside him.

"i don't know," taeyong said nonchalantly before he swiftly swooped in to peck ten's cheek then ran away, leaving the thai boy get even more speechless and dumbfounded, "but thanks for the ice cream treat!" taeyong laughed, speeding up his pace.

"YOU'RE A DEAD MEAT ONCE I GET YOU!"

 


	12. Nighttime

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ending of the nice friday!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so much fluff so much pointless convos like i couldn't stop facepalming at taeten part dOJae especially.

"there's this one guy, he's a year older than me and he's so-"

Doyoung smacked winwin's back, hard enough to almost had the chinese boy choked on his chicken, "don't talk when your mouth is full!" he scolded, getting a sulky pout from the younger.

"my dad used to slap my mouth when i talked with a full mouth," yuta imitated his dad's action, "want me to slap yours too?"

Winwin waved his hands in denial, too fast that it made the squad laughed over his response. He quickly chewed the chicken, "and that guy is so annoying!"

"why is that?" ten asked, blowing on his hot ramyeon.

"i don't know, he just screams annoying." winwin shrugged, "he's a chinese too though, but i forgot his name."

"oh wow that sounds....interesting to me," hansol who's just gulping down his coke, said with a not-so-interested tone, "share with us once you get his name."

"yeah okay," winwin smiled, before he shifted his attention back to his quiet friend that looked so engrossed with his ramyeon, "taeyong hyung, you should tell us the proper story about how you met and first talked with ten?? i don't even know how that happened."

"oh that," taeyong slowly looked up from his ramyeon, "the very very first time we met, it was around 2 months ago.... is it?" he looked at ten, asking for a confirmation.

"yup true," ten lowered his chopsticks, "okay so, once upon a time, there's this one super duper freaking mysterious boy that always wearing his hood up for 24/7, sitting quietly at the back of the bus number 87, and the seat beside him was always empty. so, being the nice dude i am, i took that seat."

"and its like around 1 month plus we didn't say anything or tried to initiate a conversation." taeyong continued, he chuckled quietly as the memories flooding into his mind, "those moments were insane."

Doyoung slammed his coke against the table, "very very insane! i mean, this boy right here," he pointed at taeyong, eyes growing big with such exclamation, "couldn't stop ranting and bugging me about  _dude that boy was fucking cute but he never look at me at all,_ and then he'll do this sad puppy eyes and continued talking garbage about ten and its not cute guys, i swear."

"yeah, for one month plus i had to let him bled my ears," taeil butted in, laughing when taeyong hit his shoulder.

"woah, really taeyong really," ten used the unused straw to poke taeyong's neck, watching the older squirmed and swatted the straw away from his neck because it tickled, but  _the straw_ was stubborn.

"and guess what's funnier?" yuta said, ready to expose ten.

The thai boy quickly looked at yuta who's sitting opposite of him, pointing the straw at the japanese boy with his eyes squinting together as if he's giving a warning;  _don't you fucking dare._

Yuta wiggled his eyebrows, silently challenging ten;  _watch me,_ "the first day he saw taeyong in the bus, he already blabbered about him non stop and i'm living a hell for the whole week like oh god i really did not want to go back there," he rubbed his temple dramatically, yelping in pain when ten kicked his shin under the table.

"woah boy," taeyong chuckled, poking ten's side in revenge. Its amusing and kinda minblowing too, at how its not only one side who's attracted to the other one, "and then one day, ten accidentally dropped his phone and i helped him picking it up then shit happened, and at the end of the day, i got his name." he spilled.

"aw shit, it suddenly sounds cute," jaehyun laughed, "but it's not cute anymore when taeyong came back to the dorm that day." the boy faked a dead serious expression.

"oh my god, i almost gone nuts at that time," doyoung continued as he facepalmed, "he couldn't stop being jumpy, smiling, laughing at every little things like???? excuse me?? you okay???"

Taeil laughed at that remark, a little bit louder before he continued the chain, "i swear you guys wouldn't want to hear what happened after ten asked for his number."

"gah, this punk talked about taeyong for 3 hours straight after they finally talked for the first time," yuta pointed at ten with his chopsticks, "and he  _brought me along,_ can you believe that??"

"oh lord i'm," ten hid his face on taeyong's shoulder, internally shrinking in embarrassment, "i really wish i have a shell right now."

"he brought you along??" doyoung, who winwin always called 'the president of gossip society', raised his eyebrows in interest, "wow."

"kids these days." hansol shook his head like how old folks would do, earning a few snickers from the boys around him.

 

After a moment of laughing, talking and making fun of each other (more like making fun of taeyong and ten), pair by pair went to leave the table, taking a stroll around the hangang.

Leaving johnny and taeil alone at the table outside of the convenience store.

Johnny sent ten and taeyong away with his gaze until they're out of his sight, sighing quietly before he shifted his attention back to the can of coke in front of him. His eyes were unfocused as he lost in a daze.

"ten, huh?"

The tall boy looked up, too fast his neck _almost_ hurt, "sorry?"

Taeil smiled knowingly, "you like.... ten?"

Johnny blinked, obviously caught off guard, "i don't think i'm that obvious....?"

"silly," taeil chuckled, feeling amused with all of these, "you're  _too_ obvious johnny, too obvious."

The tall boy's face flushed in embarrassment, head bowing down with his eyes set on his lap, feeling ashamed.

"i'm sorry i brought this topic up..." taeil's soft voice had become even more soothing, matching with the breezy weather that somehow, made johnny felt even gloomier, "but don't make it looks like falling for him is a mistake," taeil reached for johnny's hand that was clenching onto the can tightly, "we couldn't control our heart, you know? so don't give me that face." he chuckled softly.

Johnny smiled, letting taeil traced his thumb over his knuckles, he liked how that tiny effort of comforting made him relaxed, "it  _is_ a mistake but its not in the same time."

"i've been there before," taeil paused, "it sucks alot, especially if that person always sticking with you for 24 hours a day," he sighed wearily, "but i believe you'll get over it, one day."

Johnny didn't say anything in reply, he just stared at taeil, his gaze pierced into the older's soul. Taeil looked away, feeling a little bit intimidated by the stare. Honestly, johnny was kind of surprised because that was the first time somebody ever comforted him without looking at him with sympathy, especially with this kind of pitiful topic.

"you're frowning."

"huh- oh," johnny was snapped out from his daze, "sorry, i was just thinking. but really taeil, thank you so much." his expression softened before a small smile gracing his lips, thanking taeil for being...amazing?

"small matter," taeil broke into a wide grin, "wanna go for a walk?"

Johnny reflected taeil's grin as he felt himself started to loosen up, "yeah sure."

 

* * *

 

"woah so pretty!" yuta's eyes widened in awe as he watched the light show.

"you already watched this for million times," hansol chuckled, resting his chin on top of yuta's head with his hands wrapped around the shorter's shoulders, joining the japanese boy watching the light show.

"but its still so pretty," yuta mumbled as he leaned his back against the older's chest, chuckling quietly when he felt hansol snuggling into his hair, "hansol, you're so warm." yuta sighed in content, loving the warmth radiating around hansol that engulfed him like a thick blanket in the middle of the rainy midnight. It was too cozy that yuta could feel his eyelids growing heavier, "i swear you need to put some distance or else i'll fall asleep like this." he said lazily.

Hansol laughed, "okay then," he unlatched himself from the boy, earning a long disapproval whine from yuta, "what? you told me to  _put some distance."_  he chuckled as he emphasized the last part.

Yuta pouted, transforming into a donald duck as he stared at hansol with his puppy eyes. The tall boy rolled his eyes in a fake annoyance, before he kneeled down and offered the younger his back, "come, hop on."

The japanese male quickly hopped on hansol's back, laughing in joy when hansol adjusted him to stable the weight on his back before he started walking.

"this is why i love you," yuta kissed hansol's cheek, literally pushing the boy's face with the great amount of force in his little peck.

"eeeee," hansol giggled, "need to wash my face with clorox."

Yuta slapped hansol's cheek lightly, "i'm your clorox, what are you talking about."

They both broke into a laughter.

 

* * *

 

"i need to stay up and revise for history tonight," jaehyun groaned, almost ripping his face skin apart when the thought of revising came into his mind.

"its okay i'll help you with it later," doyoung offered.

 _"help,"_ jaehyun chuckled lowly, "help on getting my clothes off, you mean?"

Doyoung laughed out loud, the bubble tea he's drinking almost spat out of his mouth but luckily it went down his throat just on time, "well, its not my fault." he chuckled. His dark brown hair was tousled from the night breeze, looking effortlessly stunning under the bright city lights. Jaehyun smiled fondly as his eyes studied doyoung's side profile. He honestly thought the boy looked way _more_ beautiful than the sight in front of them, the river, the light shows, the bridge where they're hanging around and lazily rested themselves against the railings. He's just so beautiful, and jaehyun was drowning in it.

"that's a hanging sentence right there," jaehyun came closer, hands snaking around the older's waist, "say it."

Doyoung clicked his tongue, producing that annoyed noise even though he's smiling so widely, almost laughing even, "say what?"

"say _it_." jaehyun tightened his hold around doyoung, a playful smile ghosting over his lips, a total contrary to his 3 octaves-lower voice.

The older finally surrendered, "not my fault that you set my heart on fire." doyoung said before he burst out laughing, suddenly felt so done with himself.

Jaehyun laughed whole-heartedly at that silly remark. His hooded eyes turned into two straight lines, and sweet dimples that never failed to melt everybody's heart, went deeper as he smiled widely, "and you set  _me_ on fire." the boys continued laughing, more like giggling like a pair of giddy schoolgirls.

"but really, i can help you with the history revision if you want?" doyoung offered again, this time there's no mischief hinting in his voice.

"okay?" jaehyun titled his head adorably, leftover laughter laced with his words.

 

* * *

 

Ten had taeyong's phone in his hands, fingers quickly typing over the keyboard to type something.

Taeyong who had his arm slinging around the thai boy, peeked down to look at what ten was typing on, an amused chuckle slipped off his mouth when he saw what it actually was.

They're walking to somewhere they actually didn't know, what they knew was they're in the basketball court area.

The court wasn't quiet at all, its actually pretty crowded. So many teenagers hanging all over the place, taeyong even caught a group of kids pulling stunts with their fixies at the outside of the basketball court. And skaters were everywhere, since skate park was just a few meters away from the court. Everything was cool, and they somehow felt belonged in that area.

"i think this is cute-" ten just about to say more about the thing he typed just now, but was cut off when he felt like there's something heavy was thrown to his back, making the thai boy stumbled on his feet, almost losing his balance at that. He hissed, feeling the air just knocked out from his lungs.

"holy shit!" a voice exclaimed in a pure surprise, sounded like it was running to get close to the duo, ready to bombard them with an apologise.

 _"who the fuck-"_ taeyong whipped around, frown was obvious on his face.

"i'm so so so sorry!" the boy said rapidly after he went to take the orange ball, bowing for hundred times as he continued to say sorry, eyes growing big with worry and fear written on his expression, "i'm so sorry i really- its just an accident!" he bowed again.

_"mark?"_

The poor boy quickly looked up, was more than surprised to hear his name to be called. His expression changed completely, jaw dropped with his eyes widening to triple size, "ten hyung???" he exclaimed with so much question marks at the end, tone went higher. Almost sounded like a squeak, "dude, what the fuck???" mark started to laugh out of the blue, totally feeling amused by the situation.

"you said that after you threw your fucking basketball at me?" ten chuckled, jabbing mark's chest as he said it.

The way mark's expression changed in just a few seconds were totally impressive, "oh my god, are you okay??"

"my back feels like breaking to be honest," ten intentionally spoke in korean with such exaggeration in his words, totally enjoying the way taeyong reacted to his words by shooting laser out of his eyes at mark, internally breaking the young boy piece by piece.

Taeyong sighed when he heard the boy muttered a low  _i'm sorry,_ "just next time, be careful." taeyong said, ruffling the boy's hair.

"yeah okay," mark nodded, offering them a small smile, "i got to go now though."

They exchanged quick bro hugs and those nonsense bros handshakes or whatever they called it, before the young boy departed from the couple, he didn't forget to shoot a  _you owe me an explanation_  at ten, obviously curious of taeyong's presence.

"who that though? never see him before." taeyong asked out of curiosity.

"my junior from highschool last time, we're pretty close."

"ah, that's cool." 

 

 

"since my favourite character is patrick star, so tada!" ten showed taeyong the phone screen, "tentrick it is!!" he exclaimed, a wide smile stretched across his lips.

Taeyong couldn't help but laughed, continuing on typing things on ten's phone, "and mine is taeyongebob!"

The boys rolled violently on the grass, laughing to no end at how funny the names were.

Yeah, they're putting those ridiculous names as their contact's name in each other's phone. That's what they'd been doing just now, until ten got hit by a ball. Too engrossed in thinking of a nice name.

After a long pointless walk, they ended up lying on the grass, far away from the busy and crowded environment, far away from the loud music blaring all over the place, far away from all of those annoying things and now they're just lying there, trying to appreciate how beautiful a peaceful night actually was.

Taeyong loved stargazing, so he brought ten here to his usual spot, his little hidden spot; where he'd always just lied there and stargazed all by himself, thinking about his life, alone and lonely. And now he's with somebody else, its actually felt much, much better.

After a moment, the laughter finally died down, letting the boys settled into the cold yet comfortable surrounding, inhaling the fresh air as they started to talk about pointless things again.

"you see that star?" ten pointed at one of the star, the biggest one.

If taeyong loved to stargaze, ten loved to talk about the universe. And it depending on his mood; there's time when he wanted to have a deep and serious talk about it, and there's also a time when he wanted to talk about it like he's just a 5-year-old.

"that one?" taeyong asked, pointed at the star for confirmation, and ten nodded, "yeah, why with it?"

"that's me," ten chuckled, before he pointed at a group of stars surrounding around the big one, "hansol hyung, yuta, johnny."

Taeyong laughed at that childish remark, and letting the younger to continue on his ridiculous blabber, "that one right there," ten pointed at another big star near with the one he claimed was his, "is lee taeyong."

Those 3 words were enough to make taeyong's cool image crumbled down completely, leaving him a giggling mess on the grass.

"what?" ten asked in between his laughter, "did i just push your laughing button?"

Taeyong didn't say anything in reply, he just waved it off, "woojae, doyoung, winwin, taeil hyung." a huge grin spread across his lips as he pointed at the stars surrounding his own.

They continued with their ridiculous universe-talk, limbs tangled with each other.

 

Comfortable silence lingered around them longer than it usually did, and ten actually hoped the grass was their bed or something because damn, everything felt so right on place, "lets move into a pineapple."

"i thought you like living under the rock?"

There they go again with their hush conversation, talking about pineapple and rock, talking about squidward tentacles' issues with patrick and spongebob, talking about the amount of hate ten got over Mr. Krabs to the point he almost swear at the nonexistent old crab, which got taeyong laughed at the ranting boy.

Another silence engulfed the boys, eyes went unfocused as they started to get lost in their own world.

"ten?" taeyong called, breaking the silence.

"yeah?"

"go out with me?"

Ten's heart raced hundred times faster over that question, "go out with you?" he rolled over, resting his hands on the either side of taeyong's head, knees either side of the older's hips as he hovered over taeyong, "where?"

A surprise flashed through taeyong's face over the sudden bold move, before it quickly dissolved into a soft smile the moment he caught a glint of excitement in the younger's eyes. Taeyong pulled ten's hood up, covering the boy's head with the oversize hood, "where do you want to go?" he asked back, fingers fiddling with ten's dangling hoodie strings.

"lets be lame and go for a shopping date," ten wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, "because high maintenance dates can fuck off." he scrunched up his nose, showing how much he despised it.

Taeyong chuckled quietly, he didn't expect ten to have such logic in him, well he just didn't look like  _that,_ "you look like someone that'd go with fancy dates," taeyong said, earning a furious shaking-head from ten, "and i love impromptu dates, they're like, so nice?

"yeah, very very nice." ten agreed, his goofy smile didn't waver, "when though?"

"like next, next wednesday?" taeyong wanted to cry when he remembered why must it be next two weeks, "because i have exams for like 1 1/2 week."

Ten pouted, but of course he totally understand the situation, "what's your first paper?"

"calculus."

"wow," ten snickered, "your first subjects are always the worst, i hope you survive them. i wish you a good luck?"

Taeyong rolled his eyes at the amount of mockery ten had in his sentence, "yes, thank you very much."

It was quiet for a moment, until ten's eyes trailed down to taeyong's lips, and that was enough to make the boy boldly pulled ten down by his hoodie strings, eyes fluttering closed as he kissed the boy lightly.

It was a small kiss at first, but it was brought to the whole new level when taeyong hesitantly swept his tongue over ten's lip, begging for entrance. His hold around the younger's clothes got even tighter when their tongues engaged in a fierce battle, nobody seemed like they wanted to give in.

Taeyong's arms circled around ten, holding on him firmly before he rolled them over on the grass, tangled together. Ten gasped, surprised, and taeyong took this opportunity to thrust his wet, soft muscle deep into ten's hot cavern, humming appreciatively when the younger willingly let him in.

It's like the world around them shut down, and everybody disappeared, leaving only the two boys in their own sweet bubble, expressing and pouring their feelings to each other without words being said.

Taeyong spread ten's legs a little bit to make more room for himself in between the younger, smiling, more like smirking when the boy didn't make any effort to protest.

Shivers ran down ten's spine when taeyong's tongue stroke his most sensitive parts, and he couldn't hold back the moans, hand buried deep in taeyong's hair, while his other hand fisted in the older's hoodie, pulling the boy harder against him. His nails scraping gently against the boy's scalp as he arched into taeyong, bringing his chest in contact with the boy on top of him, and taeyong made a sound like a growl, low in his throat.

A rush of excitement pumped through ten's veins, it was a heady feeling, and he swore he would do whatever it needed, to hear that sinful noise again.

Their sweet bubble was popped violently when taeyong broke the kiss, a string of saliva connected between them.

They didn't say anything as they stared into each other's eyes, still catching their breaths. Ten let his eyes roamed over taeyong's face, and his chest swelled with pride when he saw how swollen taeyong's lips were, and how breathless he made him be. His eyes locked with taeyong's pair of doe eyes that stared down at him with such strong desire clouding in his gaze, making ten shuddered under the intense eye-contact, but it didn't last long because taeyong's gaze softened immediately, and the emotions in his eyes mixed with hesitance, fear, fondness, and love, all mixed up together, racing along with his thoughts.

"one day..." taeyong broke the silence, his voice rough and deeper than usual, making ten's toes curled.

The sentence was left hanging, the unsaid words were buried deep in taeyong's throat as he swallowed them hesitantly.

But ten knew what it meant by that, so he just smiled softly at the boy who's still nestled in between his legs, "one day."

 

 

 

 **Group; y tf yall like this**  
  
**naruto shippuden : [image]**  
  
**naruto shippuden : guys look.**  
  
**dodo : OMG HAHDJFHGH WHERE'S THE UNSEE BUTTON**  
**  
** **winnie the pooh : HAHAHA CALL POLICE**  
**  
** **naruto shippuden : i'm traumatized**  
  
**jay : lets bet**  
  
**naruto shippuden : bet wat**  
  
**jay : who's gonna limp around ltr :-))))**  
  
**dodo : TEN**  
  
**winnie the pooh : sAME i think ten**  
  
**naruto shippuden : idk but my heart says ty**  
  
**jojohn : FUCKING PAY MY TICKET TO CHICAGO**  
  
**jay : wrong convo d00d**  
  
**taeil : ten duh ofc**  
  
**dodo : the loser needs to treat us all starbucks**  
  
**kermit : deal.**

 

 

 

"STOP SUCKING FACE ITS ALREADY 1AM!" yuta called out from the bench he'd been sitting with hansol for awhile now, long enough that he'd take the picture of taeyong and ten......well, who's been doing this rolling-sucking face activity on the grass.

"kids we need to go back now!" hansol sighed wearily when he saw the boys didn't budge, "NOW!"

Ten groaned out loud, almost ripping his hair apart because his moment was ruined, "fine fine fine!"

"damn, the power of dad." yuta said playfully, earning a  _shut up_ and a very attempted glare from hansol, but he still smiled anyway.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> exams month now though


	13. I'm In Trouble

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Date, secrets, and troubles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> why my chapters r so long idek omF

Exams were made to destroy your peace and fun life, and also to destroy your freedom in your days. Their job is to bring stress and headaches to you, pumping your blood to the highest level it possibly could get, and made you experienced such napless days and sleepless nights. They definitely suck ass. That's right.

Taeyong wasn't the one to study much, he's not that kind of student that'd go all out on their exams and put so much pressure on himself just to achieve an A+ nor a 100/100. Most of the time he would just flipped his books lazily and let his eyes scanned every details without really reading them, and mentally praying non-stop for those facts to stick inside of his head until exams over.

Taeyong's motto in his study life was, _to yolo and pass fabulously._

And ten totally understand this concept, because he himself was the type to play first study later. Or more like study never. To him, cool kids don't play with books, that's his logic.

So ten couldn't brain why taeyong looked like a dead zombie on his last day of exams.

"you don't look okay.." ten said, eyes went up and down of taeyong's body, who's slumped back lazily in his seat. Almost looked like he'd slide down his seat anytime soon.

"i'm fine," taeyong mumbled, resting his head over ten's shoulder and closed his eyes for a moment, "just need to... rest for awhile."

"we can cancel-"

"no!" taeyong retorted, "no, i don't want to cancel the date."

"okay, that means we need to buy you lots of espresso and gummy bear," ten chuckled when taeyong just hummed lazily over his suggestion.

Ten was wearing a pair of navy blue shorts that day and it obviously not taeyong's fault if he couldn't keep his hands to himself, "so any ideas or plans you wanna do for today?" he asked the younger quietly, fingers drawing random patterns on ten's exposed thigh.

"i don't really have plans but lets stuff ourselves with toblerones and gelato," ten chirped, tone laced with obvious excitement that made taeyong smiled unconsciously.

"okay, we'll do all that."

Ten watched silently as the bus passed his dorm complex, every part of his body was experiencing this kind of excitement rush, as ready as ever to start the journey.

 

* * *

 

Johnny was sprawling on the couch, his left hand draped lazily over his stomach while his right hand hanging loose and relaxed, his long legs dangled over the armrest.

His week so far was nice, except for this one thing that kept on bugging his head non-stop, since the day taeil told him 'something' he wished he didn't know.

Hansol, being the nice roommate and friend he was, obviously noticed the sudden change of behaviour in johnny these past few days, but he didn't do anything. He didn't do anything even when the younger was boring holes into his face for days now.

And hansol, being the nice roommate he actually wasn't, just continued doing his assignment and didn't bother to ask what's wrong with the boy.

But then, its creepy.

So hansol reluctantly turned his head around just to see johnny was already staring at him with his tight resting bitch face, almost having the older grimaced at that, "you better tell me what's wrong."

Johnny's poker face didn't waver a slightest bit, "i'm just thinking." he said, voice hushed.

Hansol rolled his eyes to the back of his head, "you don't need to stare at me like-"

"i didn't know that taeil is your ex?" johnny blurted out, cutting the older off.

Hansol froze, his muscles tensed up, but he didn't say a word to argue with that statement. He turned around to get his attention back to his laptop, pretending like he didn't hear anything.

 

* * *

 

Ten loved malls. He didn't know why but he just loved it. He could wander around from daytime until night, exploring the huge mall to the very core, and it didn't matter if other people said that's very lame or boring.

Taeyong on the other hand, loved shopping. Clothes shopping, grocery shopping, food shopping, you name it. So obviously, everything felt nice to the both of them.

As promised, ten dragged taeyong to starbucks because the boy needed a coffee to at least walked like a lee taeyong, not like a zombie who's hunting down for a brain.

"what do you want to order?" ten asked once they stepped inside the starbucks, the smell of strong coffee mixed with chocolate and another pleasant aroma poked their nostrils.

"mocha frappuccino with extra chocolate syrup." taeyong said when they're queuing, finger pointing wildly at the menu board here and there, before he did this subtle hand gesture of how much about extra chocolate syrup he wanted.

Ten listened intently, nodding his head time to time while his eyes set over the menu board, racking his brain about what to order, "i think i'll get a chile mocha frappuccino."

"great," taeyong opened his thick ass wallet before he shoved few won notes that more than enough to pay for the drinks into ten's hand, "don't you dare to pay with your money." taeyong whispered lowly into ten's ear, pinching the younger's bum sneakily.

Ten gasped, taking the money and slapped taeyong's hand away, "people are looking!" he half-whispered, half-shouted, getting flustered out of a sudden.

"don't care." taeyong winked before he went to find a table for them, leaving ten who's face turned as pink as a patrick.

 

They ended up in a clothes store after they finished with their little coffee date.

And taeyong was having a problem, an inner war with himself at the moment, when ten innocently suggested to buy a pair of matching hoodies.

The problem here was, taeyong hated matching clothes, couple shirts or anything related with having somebody else wearing the same piece of clothes that looked like his. He really against this concept, but seeing ten smiling at him with such a bright smile and happiness in his eyes, he really didn't know what to do anymore.

Ten was flipping through the clothes, totally oblivious with how fidgety taeyong was getting on behind him. Ten turned around with a pair of maroon hoodies in his hands, "this one looks nice though?" he said suggestively.

Taeyong blinked, didn't know what to say, but his expression said it all.

Ten's smile faded, gone almost completely when the realisation hit him, "ah, its okay then." his shoulders slumped as he put the clothes back at its place, his previous cheery vibe turned cloudy.

Taeyong had never wanted to die so much, "no, we'll buy this okay? come here." he motioned ten to take the clothes again and gave it to him, so that he could pay.

The thai boy happily handed the clothes to taeyong, before he leaned in and kissed the older's cheek, pulling back with a triumphant smile spread across his lips.

 

* * *

 

Hansol felt like burying himself in the deepest of the bikini bottom because johnny still hadn't let him go, still hadn't dropped the topic.

So there hansol was, tensed as ever while eating his late lunch with johnny, who's currently sitting casually on the opposite of the dining table.

"how did you know?" hansol asked, breaking the icy silence, but he still didn't look up.

"he told me." johnny said monotonously, "so.. you left him?"

Hansol looked up almost instantly, shooting johnny a _look_ , "i fell out of love, not left him. _phrase it properly_." he hissed.

Johnny raised his eyebrows, a little bit surprised at hansol's sudden changed of mood, _well i thought that's the same thing,_ "okay?"

Silence engulfed them for a moment, until hansol spoke up, "there's something wrong like, everything's wrong and seemed off. i couldn't feel the same spark anymore everytime i'm with him or around him, until one day i realised its actually because...i'm falling out of love," hansol spilled, bit by bit, "then i told him about it and we.. broke up not in a good way."

"hansol its okay if you don't want to tell..." johnny's voice trailed off, he felt it wasn't right to dig more. Not after he saw how guilt-ridden hansol looked.

The boy ignored what johnny said, "you know that i came from a boarding school right?" he asked the younger, at which johnny nodded, "and taeil too, he was my roommate, and to have him living, even breathing around me for the rest of the year inside of the cramp room was really... terrible." he paused, taking a deep breath, "it used to be the nicest thing ever to have him as a roommate, but not anymore after we broke up. i wanted to change the room because i couldn't stand it anymore, and i know he couldn't stand it anymore either, but it was forbidden, because that's our permanent room until we graduated."

Johnny was a little bit stunned by this, he didn't know these small details because taeil only told him about hansol was his ex, and that's that. The details were left untold.

"we continued being like that until we graduated, pretending like we don't know each other." hansol sighed, completely lost his appetite, "until now, as you can see."

Johnny just about to say something but was cut off when he heard the familiar ding from door.

A person stepped inside, dropping his bag on the floor. A bright, adorable smile plastered on his face as a greeting to the giants duo, but it faded when he noticed the strange, gloomy atmosphere.

Yuta placed the plastic bag that filled with breads he bought just now on the dining table, before he stepped closer to hansol who's stretching his arms wide opened, welcoming him in a hug.

Hansol wrapped his arms tightly around yuta's waist, pulling the boy closer as he buried his face onto the younger's chest, trying to find any kind of silent comfort. Yuta caressed the boy's hair gently, shooting johnny a _what did you do to him?!_ and johnny made a surrender gesture, with a bread stuffed inside of his mouth.

If other people, they'd say hansol was just being a baby, or just trying to seek his boyfriend's attention by caging the younger in his arms. Hansol was pretty unreadable, he's not someone people could call a walking billboard. Quiet unexpected too. But yuta knew better. Yuta knew hansol like the back of his hand, so he knew, there must be something wrong, or something bothering the older's mind.

"hey," yuta cupped hansol's face in his hands, staring straight into hansol's glossy eyes, "what is it?"

Hansol clawed his fingers onto yuta's shirt, feeling exposed, "nothing."

That _nothing_ meant something, and yuta knew not to push the older any further. It'll eventually came out, he just needed to wait.

 

* * *

 

They're now back at it again with taeyong pointing everywhere at the menu board, while ten nodding his head and listened to whatever the older was talking about, "caramel cookie crunch is the best to be honest."

Ten nodded again, "never try it before but that sounds yummy," he said, before he started to mumble the flavors written over the menu, "coffee chocolate chips, coffee toffee, double dark chocolate, mint chocolate....yada yada and ha, that one!" ten pointed at the one he decided he wanted to get, "hazelnut chocolate chip!"

The boys were having a serious discussion while lining up in front of the Gelato shop, deciding about what ice cream flavor they should buy, "nice, i think i'll pick the mint chocolate chip." taeyong stated.

Ten scrunched up at that, its 2016 and he still couldn't get how people could eat that kind of flavor, "your standard in picking ice cream is pretty low." he sneered when taeyong hit his shoulder, feigning an offense. "i honestly think i'll rob this shop if they have a toblerone flavor."

"i'm joining," taeyong said, mind already started to think how heaven it'd get if that flavor exist in that shop, "i can't believe i'm drooling over something nonexistent."

"same," ten chuckled, hand quietly dug his wallet from his back pocket. This gonna create a war, he knew that.

Ten took out his credit card and showed it to taeyong, "tada! this plastic card needs to be swiped now or else it will cry because we don't use it."

A small frown creased taeyong's forehead, "no." he shook his head furiously, jabbing at his wallet to emphasize what he's going to say next, "this shit is on its service for today so no."

"i don't care taeyong, i don't care." ten waved his credit card, showing how much of _i don't care_. He glued his gaze at the menu board, even though he wasn't really reading them.

"ten don't-"

"no."

"i'm gonna pay-"

 _"no."_ he shoot taeyong a _shut up_ , "its on me."

Taeyong looked like steams were coming out from his ears, _"fine."_ he huffed.

Ten cracked a wide goofy smile, because finally he got the chance to treat taeyong something.

 

 

"woojae pigged out almost 99% of our food supplies," taeyong complained, "he's always like that when he's stress, and even when he's not stress he's still a pig."

Ten chuckled "yeah i can see he got a huge appetite, just look at how many rounds he ate everytime we hung around at hangang," taeyong nodded in agreement, "eat so much but still so fit."

Taeyong stopped walking, squinting down at the boy who's hooking arm with him, "are you telling me you're checking him out?"

"no!" ten laughed, "he always rolled his sleeves and flexed his biceps, so that's really out of my control." he dragged taeyong to walk again, heading to the supermarket for a grocery shopping, as the ending of their date, "but nah, you're much much fun to be ogled at." ten said, voice laced with mischief.

A satisfied smile stretched across taeyong's lips, "oh yeah?"

Ten unhooked his arm from taeyong to take the cart, "aha of course!" he laughed lightly, pushing the cart to the sweets and chocolate department.

"that's great," taeyong shooed ten away, hogging the cart as he pushed it by himself.

The thai boy obviously didn't protest, not when he was so busy shooting heart eyes at the toblerones that's placed nicely over the shelf.

Last 6 bars. Last 6 bars of toblerone milk chocolate. The other types that left were dark chocolate and fruit nut which weren't ten's nor taeyong's favourite. So this sure meant business to the boys.

"taeyong, can we take all of the milk one?"

"how many?"

"6?"

Taeyong considered it for a moment, because 6 toblerones weren't cheap though, "can we just-"

"pleaseee," ten shook taeyong's hand violently, looking like a toddler who's begging for his dad to buy him toys.

Taeyong facepalmed, a dramatic sigh left his lips, making the said boy looked so funny that ten ended up laughing, "fine! take them all."

Ten took the 6 huge, long bars and hugged them to his chest, smiling like a winner. He dumped them into the cart, and latched his hand over the cart handle beside taeyong's hands. His eyes wandering everywhere, searching for his next victim, "shouldn't you call the boys to ask them what they want?"

"yeah i think i should do that," taeyong took his phone and unlocked it to dial for doyoung's number.

_"yo."_

"i'm in a supermarket now, anything you need?"

_"oh wait, i think we ran out of detergent so buy few bottles of it."_

Taeyong's eyes glued at ten who's casually picking on almost all snacks he liked from the shelves, throwing it into the cart like he's the one that gonna pay for those.

"okay, thats all?"

_"two kinder bueno and a few packets of gummy bear."_

Taeyong rolled his eyes at this, but he hummed in acknowlegdement.

_"colgate and pantene."_

Taeyong pulled ten away by hooking his fingers at the back of the younger's collar, stopping the boy from taking things senseless.

"okay."

_"i ran out of lube-"_

"no, bye." he swiped the red button, ending the call before he shoved it back into his pocket. Taeyong sighed like an old dad after he saw the mountain of snacks inside of the cart, "boy, you're way wilder than winwin."

 

 

Ten agreed when taeyong suggested him to hang around his place, so here he was, walking their way together to the older's dorm.

When taeyong opened the door, ten swore he felt like he shouldn't be there in the first place. He almost grimaced over the amount of stress and pressure lingered on the air.

The coffee table was an absolute mess with papers scattered all over it, bright neon highlights crossed over the papers made it seemed impossible not to catch people's attention.

Jaehyun's usual sweet vibe turned a little bit intimidating, and ten didn't dare to disturb him by saying hello at the boy. Jaehyun had this tight frown encasing his usually soft features, his eyes set down on his biology book, and his mouth couldn't stop mumbling tons of bullshit that he needed to memorise.

Taeyong tried his best not to yell at the younger who made the dorm looked like a tornado just ran into it. He sighed wearily, placing the plastic bags over the kitchen counter and shouted a _now your job is to arrange all these things in its place_ at which jaehyun said nothing in reply. He didn't even bother to look up, too busy to give a damn.

After taeyong finished placing the bars of chocolate into the fridge, taking only one for them to eat, he took a hold of ten's wrist and dragged the thai boy to his room.

"jaehyun hasn't finish with his exams yet?" ten asked after he stepped into taeyong's room.

"nah, his last papers are on friday. doyoung hasn't finish with his exams either, only me the one who's wild and free."

Ten chuckled at that remark, before his attention slowly shifted to his surrounding, eyes examining taeyong's room. He'd never really went inside this place, even though he had come to taeyong's dorm before. The room was neat, everything was organized and set right on place. The scent was pleasant, mixed with something smelt like febreeze and taeyong's familiar sweet cologne, and another indefinable scent blend together with it.

Everything was in order, neat and tidy including his bed, and ten thought maybe its not a good idea to casually plop onto it.

Taeyong placed his bag on top of his desk, before he pulled his sweatshirt over his head, leaving the boy only in a black tank top that hugged every curves of his body. Ten let his eyes trailed down taeyong's muscular arms and _oh my god those veins-_

No. Ten did _not_ drool at that. Yes, he did ~~n't.~~

Taeyong threw the clothes into the laundry basket before he whipped around just to see ten, who's resting against the wall, with one hand holding the long bar of chocolate, was ogling at him shamelessly.

The thai boy couldn't suppress his giggle when taeyong came closer and trapped him against the wall, hands snaked over his hips, "what is this little boy staring at, huh?"

"i don't know? you tell me," ten said, flirtatious lilt was heavy in his voice, eyes challenging.

Taeyong didn't waste any time and leaned in to claim the shorter's lips, earning a surprise squeal from the thai boy. His hands lowered, squeezing over ten's ass firmly as he deepened the kiss. Ten reacted instantly, purring like a kitten as he arched his lower back and threw his arms around the older's neck instinctively, and taeyong swore he had never wanted someone so bad. He broke the kiss, trailing wet, soft kisses down ten's neck and grasped the boy tighter, _"you made me lose it,"_ he said, voice dangerously low, panting slightly.

Taeyong could literally feel his sanity was starting to say good bye to him which obviously, wasn't good. He had a friend who's trying to study on the outside, and this wouldn't be nice, but now he couldn't find the reason to care-

A soft gasp escaped from ten's lips when taeyong sunk down his teeth, the toblerone slipped from the thai boy's grasp, and a dull thud came after the triangular box fell onto the floor but obviously none of them cared about it. Ten tilted his head side way to give more access to taeyong, his fingers crawled under the older's lustrous hair, tugging on it gently.

"made you lose what?" ten asked boldly, feigning an innocent tone, which got taeyong growled against his neck, the vibration sending shivers down ten's spine.

Taeyong hooked his fingers into ten's belt loop, tugging the boy closer, and their hips attached. He nibbled onto one of ten's twins mole, and his hand slid underneath the boy's shirt as he sucked on the flesh hungrily, marking his territory. Ten threw his head back, eyes fluttering closed as he let out a breathy moan when taeyong continued to abuse his sensitive spot.

"taeyo-"

Ten squeaked and shrunk back in embarrassment when the door burst opened, revealing a tall, lanky chinese boy who's holding a thick ass korean dictionary with few korean literature books, and a bag of chip tucked under his underarm. A string of curses left taeyong's mouth, and to say he's irritated over the sudden interruption was a fucking understatement.

Winwin's wide grin replaced with a surprised expression, his face changed colour from white to purple, feeling extremely surprised and terrified to see taeyong who looked like a hungry-angry bear with his prey pressed against the wall.... Winwin could feel the blood rushed to his face, his eyes almost bulging out because that's the first time he walked in on someone.

 _"leave."_ taeyong snarled.

The chinese boy just about to scramble out from the room when jaehyun suddenly dashed inside, holding his biology book over his head while exclaiming a train of weird biology terms. The boy really didn't give a fuck about what's going on, and just climbed up onto his top bunk and disappeared under the blanket, a soft yet stern _don't disturb me_ could be heard, muffled against the fluffy blanket.

Taeyong sighed heavily, closing his eyes shut as he tried to find any percents of patience and rationality in him.

Ten couldn't help but chuckled, caressing taeyong's cheek to reassure the frustrated boy, "its okay." he raked his fingers through taeyong's hair, fixing the mess he had done.

"i hate them, i really do." taeyong mumbled, retracting himself a bit to let the boy straightened his hair. His eyes trailed down to ten's neck, a smug smile tugged over his lips as he admired his masterpiece, "you're a mess."

"hm, whose fault was it?"

"i don't know? you tell me."

Ten pinched taeyong's side, earning a yelp of pain from the boy before an amused chuckle followed after.

"i'm still here though...." winwin reminded, dumping his books over jaehyun's desk, sighing dramatically, "taeil hyung hasn't come back, doyoung is busy, jaehyun is unavailable and you're the only one who's free today but," he turned around, pointing at the two using the toblerone he just picked up from the floor just now, "turned out you're the busiest."

Ten went to winwin and snatched the long bar from the taller's hand, his eyes narrowing menacingly, "don't touch my property."

Winwin rolled his eyes in annoyance, he jabbed his finger at the toblerone violently as he started to spit in intense mandarin, _"this stupid triangle shaped box was crying on the floor and i'm just being nice to eat it instead of-"_

Ten jabbed the boy's chest using the yellow chocolate box, his thai was making its comeback, _"i don't care the hell you're saying but you should've knocked the door-"_

Taeyong squished his way in between the two boys who looked like they just about to strangle each other, "guys please," he sighed, turning around to face winwin, "now, why are you looking for me?"

"because i want to ask help from you with the korean literature." the chinese boy cracked a goofy smile, even though ten was doing this some sort of _i'm watching you_ gesture with his two fingers pointed at him.

"okay, i'll see what i can help."

 

* * *

 

Johnny witnessed how hansol and yuta engaged in a hush conversation.

Johnny also witnessed for the first time, how yuta behaved so much. Yuta's words weren't laced with venom nor salt, if anything its coated with sugar and a little bit of mozzarella, here and there.

And again, johnny witnessed how yuta's wide smile faded bit by bit when hansol was on his process to open up a thing he obviously didn't want to. But he knew he must, because he realised its really important to tell, for the sake of their relationship, he guessed.

Honestly, johnny had no idea how yuta would accept the surprise news, but he obviously prepared for the worst. He already locked all the glasses and ceramic plates inside of their kitchen cabinets, just in case.

"i have something i wanna tell you." hansol started, eyes darting everywhere as he felt his nerves were starting to act up.

"yeah, what is it?"

"taeyong's friend, that one guy named taeil..."

"what about him?" yuta frowned, and he looked dead serious out of a sudden that johnny regretted to even be there sitting closed with the duo. He seriously didn't want to imagine how hansol felt at that time, it must be so...terrifying.

"well uh," hansol gulped, nervous.

"why hansol, what's wrong?" 

"he's my ex."

The whole place felt like it froze for a few seconds as everybody stayed still and not even the sound of water dropping could be heard.

Johnny didn't know why he felt like he's the one that going to pee in his pants. The tall boy, who's been sitting at the single couch for awhile now, observed yuta's reaction silently, trying to find... anything describable. He only found a look of stunned on the japanese's face.

"sorry? what did you just say?"

"taeil, he's my ex." hansol said, voice was barely a whisper.

It took a moment for yuta to register the information, and when it did, bad thoughts abruptly flooding into his mind, "3 fridays hansol..." yuta's voice trailed off, a lilt of hurt was obvious in his tone, "3 fridays, 3 weeks has passed and you're telling me this now? i thought.. there are no secrets between us."

Johnny really _really_ didn't expect to see yuta looked like he'd burst into tears at any moment.

"no yuta i'm just-"

"there must be a lot of things you hide from me? are you secretly contacting him behind my back?"

"yuta..."

"or you actually wanna tell me that you want to get back with him and leave me-"

"yuta!" hansol raised his voice as he couldn't tolerate with it anymore.

"what?!" yuta screamed back, chest rising rapidly as his face flushed in red, tears pooling in his eyes. Hurt. Hurt written all over his face.

The thought of hansol leaving him just to get back with his ex made yuta's tears rolled down his cheeks. He didn't make any effort to wipe them off as they slowly trickling down his chin.

Hansol was speechless, he was tongue tied and he didn't know what to say or how to react the moment he saw yuta started crying. Hansol's heart raced up in panic when the japanese boy stood up from the couch, picking his things and bag before he walked to the door.

"i don't think i'm rational enough to talk with you right now." And with that, yuta went out from the dorm, slamming the door shut behind him.

Hansol curled up into a ball on the couch, hands gripping onto his hair as he groaned loudly out of pure frustration, "its always my fault!"

 

* * *

 

Eating a melting chocolate especially something huge like a toblerone, sure would make a mess.

Ten's fingers were coated with chocolate, there's a stain of chocolate in his palm too and even on his mouth. He's a huge mess, and messy.

"oh my god who are you?!" taeyong's eyes widened in a fake surprise, accompanied by an exaggerated gasp to make his act looked real, but it didn't take long until the boy broke into a laughter, "go take tissues at the kitchen, you really look like somebody just smeared the chocolate on you."

Ten made a face at this, he's extremely lazy to do that. He just wanted to stay there, sitting on the edge of taeyong's bed and played with his phone, eating his chocolate silently while listening to taeyong who's patiently explaining tons of weird literature things to winwin.

But he obeyed anyway.

Ten didn't know since when he became clumsy, but he accidentally tripped over something when he's on his way to the kitchen.

A series of loud thuds and crashes could be heard echoing throughout the place, along with the thai boy's surprised screech, and ten wanted to cry so bad after he realised what he had done.

The strings had snapped completely, the neck broke into two, and just by the look of it, he knew its severely damaged.

Ten just broke taeyong's most treasured guitar.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm promoting so much products smH expect a rexona or gillete in the future gahjahdjk


	14. Try

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Effort is important.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i was super rushing while writing this sighs forgive me for any incredibly silly mistakes, but ENJOY! <3

Hansol pressed the 8th floor button, waiting patiently as the elevator went down slowly. A box of blueberry and raspberry cupcakes was held tightly in his hand. Actually, he's not sure if those sweets could work or not, but at least he tried.

The boy stepped out from the elevator, heading straight to yuta's dorm with worries were beginning to cloud his mind.

When hansol came inside, he really didn't expect to see the dorm was that quiet and dark. He sighed, preparing himself inside out for whatever going to happen later, his mind was racing with ridiculous thoughts as the tall boy walked to the kitchen, and placed the box inside of the fridge before he went roaming quietly around the place to search for yuta.

He ended up went in yuta's room. It was dark, almost pitch black, cold and really quiet. Hansol remained unmoving as he started to contemplate about his decision of staying, his hand hung loosely against the doorknob, eyes set over the petite frame who's snuggling into the thick blanket at the bottom bunk.

That was ten's bed where yuta's sleeping on, and it made hansol felt curious about the thai boy's whereabout for a moment before the thought quickly pushed out from his mind. Hansol sighed again as he ran his hand across his hair, getting his shit together before he walked to the sleeping figure.

Hansol crouched down to be on the same level with yuta, but he didn't do anything, he didn't say anything. He just stared at the japanese boy who's sleeping quietly, his face somewhat swollen, his hair was a mess, but still, as beautiful as ever in hansol's eyes.

Hansol caressed the younger's cheek lightly, "yuta?" he called, soft and low, but enough to have the japanese boy frowned slightly in his sleep.

Yuta's eyes fluttered opened, he blinked his eyes furiously as he felt the stinging pain on his swollen, bloodshot eyes.

A small whimper rumbled in the back of his throat when he recognized who it was. Yuta instantly threw his arms over hansol's neck and hugged him tightly, as if hansol would disappear if he let him go, "don't leave..."  _me._

Hansol's heart ached terribly. He really didn't expect the situation to turn out like this.

"i'm here, i'm here." he patted the younger's back gently, comforting the now crying boy.

Yuta broke the hug and immediately pulled hansol to lay down on the bed with him, and the older complied silently. The japanese boy buried his face onto hansol's chest, his fingers clawed into the older's shirt as his whimpers growing louder, hiccups accompanied his sob.

"shhh, yuta don't cry," hansol rubbed yuta's back in a comforting manner, his voice cracked at the end, trying his best to hold back his tears.

Yuta was crying so hard, he couldn't even talk properly. He threw some weak punches on hansol's chest while whimpering out a string of incoherent words, and all hansol could do was to hug the crying boy tightly, stopping his movement.

To say hansol wasn't affected by this was definitely wrong. He whispered tons of  _i'm sorry_ and another lots of hush comforting words, caressing yuta's hair gently and it surprisingly managed to make yuta calmed down a little.

When yuta cried, he'd cry his eyes out until his last drop of tear. He kept too much things to himself, sometimes it's hard to stop once he started at it. 

Hansol cupped yuta's face in his hands, forcing the crying boy to look up at him in the eyes even though his move was gentle. Yuta's face flushed in deep shade of red, his eyes swollen and his nose red, his cheeks wet with tears, and he looked so frail. It sent a pang across hansol's heart to see yuta like this.

"i'm sorry for everything but really, i love you, so you don't need to worry about anything." a small genuine smile spread across his lips as hansol said it, denying all of yuta's insecurities, and it came out soft, a barely audible whisper, but enough for the younger to hear it.

Yuta's small hand reached up to hansol's face, wiping the older's tears with his thumb, "i love you too." he choked between his sob, voice thick and nasally, his pitched ruined, but those three words never failed to work its magic to hansol's heart.

Hansol knew there's so much things he needed to spill, to make everything crystal clear and stopping all of those nonsense, bad thoughts from invading yuta's mind. He totally understand its not because yuta didn't trust him and thought he'd leave him for taeil- he knew this happened because the fear and insecurities overpowered yuta, making every little hurtful yet ridiculous thoughts started to make sense in his mind.

Hansol patted yuta's side gently, persuading the boy to sleep. It wasn't the right time to talk, their emotions weren't stable to have a proper, rational talk so he thought that needed to wait for later. Hansol sang yuta a lullaby, his voice was soothing, soft and quiet, enough to make yuta calmed down completely as he nestled his face in the crook of hansol's neck, the drowsiness was slowly taking over him.

"don't leave." yuta slurred, before he drifted off to sleep.

Hansol hummed softly, even though yuta probably couldn't hear him anymore.

 

* * *

 

Ten didn't want to remember how taeyong's face looked like the moment he saw what damage ten just did. What damage ten just did to his guitar. Ten didn't want to remember how taeyong's expression turned to an absolute anger and rage the moment he saw his guitar was broken terribly.

He didn't want to remember how taeyong didn't say anything despite the harshness in his glares, and ten didn't want to remember how taeyong slammed his bedroom door shut, enough to make everybody near him froze on their spot. _Terrified._

And also, he didn't want to remember how doyoung gave him a sympathetic pat on his shoulder with a  _i think its better if you go home first._ He really didn't want to remember how he almost broke down after that, because taeyong refused to hear anything from him. Not even a word.

Ten was panic-stricken, and its not funny.

The thai boy walked to his second dorm, mouth couldn't stop mumbling a string of curses in his native tongue about how fucked up he was this time.

He barged in johnny's dorm with a loud, _very_ loud repetitive exclamation of _fucked up._

Johnny, who's having his own sweet time at the kitchen with two hard-boiled eggs in his hands, was startled as ever over the sudden visit. The eggs almost fell down to the floor but his grip didn't let it to, "dude! if these eggs-"

Johnny froze when ten tightly wrapped his arms around his waist and buried his face into his chest, a soft whimper slipped off ten's mouth, muffled against johnny's clothes. Or more like against his chest.

_not there ten not there oh lord my heartbeat-_

"i broke taeyong's guitar."

"you what??" johnny's eyes widened, almost bulging out of its sockets because,  _who the fuck dares to touch taeyong's guitar??_

"i broke his guitar."

"you what huh what?????"

"i broke his guitar!" ten almost screamed his words, frustrated.

"what...." johnny's eyes widening even more, "oh my god....... you what...."

Ten broke the hug, snatching one of the hard-boiled egg from johnny's hand and smashed it with full force on the taller's chest, cracking it opened, "i broke it and-"

Johnny's surprised expression replaced with a pain one as he rubbed his chest, "you broke benny?!"

"what? who's benny?"

 

* * *

 

The atmosphere was thick, and felt somewhat tensed.

To expect yuta to be nice after he just cried his lungs out and blurted an _i love you too_  and _don't leave_ was obviously wrong. Hansol knew he needed to expect for the worst because yuta could become argumentative and extra sensitive at some point. He knew it.

Honestly, hansol really didn't want to talk about it right now, but yuta was _emotionally_  pushing him, and all he could do was to calm his nerves, gathering all of his patience and courageous.

They're sitting on the couch, with yuta having his blanket huddled over him, his eyes glued on the tv screen and his face was stoic. There's an arm's length gap in between them, and hansol didn't know why he felt a sudden irritation ran through him. Yuta's mood swings never failed to irk him, sometimes. But then _oh well,_ its his fault this was happening.

"talk."

Yuta said while flipping through the channels aimlessly, his voice came out harsher than he intended to, startling hansol in the process.

Hansol sighed, didn't know where and how to start but to reply yuta with a question just equal to him digging his own grave, "well, he's just my ex. was my roommate in high school and yeah."

Silence. All they could hear was the sound that's coming from the drama they're not really watching. Yuta's gaze still glued on the tv, as though he didn't hear what hansol said, but the air that grew thicker and heavy under the silent wrath, convinced hansol that yuta  _heard_ him.

Hansol hated the feeling of talking with someone who's pretending they're deaf. He hated it so much, he felt like he's closed to lose his shit. Yuta wanted an explanation but now he looked like he's not interested, and that's just.. too much for hansol. 

_Pet peeve._

Hansol snatched the remote control out of yuta's hand, and turned off the tv. He slammed the remote on top of the coffee table, his eyes gleaming in rage he didn't know was rising, "you want to talk. okay. i talked. i'm talking but you made me feel like i'm talking to the wall, so what's the point." hansol hissed underneath his breath.

For someone who had the patience of a saint, those were enough to awaken all of yuta's senses and made him feel slightly alarmed. Yuta scooted further to the end of the couch when hansol wasn't showing any sign of calming down, which was beyond terrifying.

Hansol was scary when he's mad so yuta decided its not good to continue with his bratty attitude, "okay talk, i'm listening."

 

* * *

 

"benny is the name of taeyong's guitar," johnny said while he cracked the ramyeon before he dumped it into the hot boiling water; cooking instant noodle as their dinner, "he only got one though so for sure the one you broke is benny." johnny paused as he stirred the ramyeon, "and its just fucking amazing how you come back here, looks completely perfect and normal without bruises or cute little cuts on your face."

Ten frowned, munching down the hard-boiled egg he stole from johnny just now, "what does that mean?"

"dude," johnny sighed, almost too dramatically as he put down the spoon and left the pot, let the ramyeon cook by itself, "we almost broke into a fist fight when i accidentally snapped benny's strings. i'm lucky jaehyun was there though because if not, wow for sure i need to visit the plastic surgery hospital." johnny laughed over his own joke, settling onto the bar stool beside ten.

Johnny took one of the hard-boiled egg and smashed it on ten's forehead, earning a yelp from the younger, "so tell me what's happening now."

"i don't know?? fuck my life dude he really didn't want to hear anything, he's going to hate me forever i swear," ten exclaimed, a frown creased his forehead as he spit out the words. He unlocked his phone and showed to johnny his call logs "see this, he didn't answer my calls too! which is crazy." ten was so closed to shove the phone into johnny's face but his hand was swatted away by the tall boy.

Johnny sighed again, "benny has a very very high sentimental value to taeyong, and i dare to say this shit isn't really a small matter."

Ten banged his head over the kitchen counter, muttering a  _die die die._ He looked up instantly when a question suddenly came into his mind, "is there any interesting history behind benny's existence??"

"of course." johnny stood up, turning off the gas stove before he wore the pair of oven mitten, to hold on the hot ramyeon pot and placed it in front of ten, chopsticks and bowl were all ready, "long story short, his uncle gave taeyong the guitar before he passed away, which was around 5 years ago? i was there though, and its really a painful thing to remember." johnny sighed.

Ten looked like he's on the verge of breaking down, realising how much just by breaking a guitar could hurt other's person heart so badly, "oh my god what..."

Johnny stirred the ramyeon, "oh c'mon, what's the worst that could happen? he's probably will just give you a cold shoulder for a few weeks."

"lord please, cold shoulder is emotional abuse are you kidding me?! i'm not that strong."

Johnny opened his mouth to throw a come back but was cut off by a faint dinged from his phone, signaling a message just came in.

 

> **from ty; ten's homed? i tried contacting yuta but his phone is off**

 

The tall boy couldn't help but to raise his eyebrows in a pure amusement, and surprised.

Ten caught this surprised look on johnny's face, "who?" he asked before he blew on the hot ramyeon.

 

> **to ty; yeah he's here, staying for awhile. dude i think you should answer his calls at least.**

 

Johnny quickly typed those and sent the text, before he shifted his attention back to his ramyeon, "oh that. hansol hyung told me not to touch his pringles."

"oh, where's him though?"

"somewhere in hell, i believe."

 

* * *

 

"i bet even his friends don't know about our past."

"what why?" yuta frowned, his eyes were gleaming in curiosity.

"he don't like sharing too much things with people especially about his past and yeah, just a private person i guess," hansol explained, "its really really impressive how he just met johnny about three times? but he already told him things." he chuckled, amused.

Yuta raised his eyebrows, but didn't say anything. Honestly speaking, he's kind of uncomfortable to see hansol talking about other guy, especially his ex, with such tiny details most people probably didn't know.

Hansol turned to look at yuta, stretching his arm to reach the boy, "why are you so far," he said, almost sounding like a whine. Hansol pulled yuta toward him, closed enough until the younger sat on his lap. Yuta lazily nestled his head in the crook of hansol's neck, sighing in content as he felt so secure and safe being held in hansol's arms like this, "because you were scary just now."

"i did it on purpose because you're so hard to tame." hansol chuckled over his own words, playfully rubbing his nose against yuta's, earning a small giggle from his little boy, "i'm sorry for everything."

"don't be." yuta said, his voice was hushed, almost like a low whisper, "i don't know why this sudden thought is coming into my mind but i can't imagine myself if you never happened in my life." he nestled even deeper, hiding his face in hansol's neck.

"neither am i." hansol tightened his hold around yuta, "i think i'll be that giant nerdy with thick glasses people would call a living pepe."

Yuta laughed quietly, before he straightened up, straddling hansol to look at him in the eyes. Those pair of huge, doe eyes that always twinkling with emotions. He couldn't help but to smile fondly at his boyfriend, "i love you." he confessed before he leaned in to kiss hansol's forehead, "like so much it hurts."

They stared into each other's eyes for a moment, getting lost in their own little world as they locked gaze. All of the emotions were colliding at once, building some sort of unexplained tension they didn't know was there in the first place.

Slowly, so slowly, yuta leaned in and pressed his lips against hansol's plump ones, and their lips dancing together in a gentle, soft kiss. Hansol held yuta firmly before he laid the boy on the couch, his 6 foot 1 figure hovering over the japanese boy.

"i'm sorry," yuta murmured against hansol's lips, his hand caressed the older's nape before he ran his fingers through hansol's disheveled, thick hair, deepening the kiss.

Hansol made a disapproval noise over the apologise he thought wasn't needed, his hand ran along yuta's inner thigh and slowly making its way underneath the younger's shirt, stroking his fingers against yuta's bare tummy in a tender caress.

He murmured tons of  _i love you_ against yuta's skin as he worshiped the younger's body, loving him like there's no tomorrow, proving to yuta how much he meant the world to him,  _"i love you, really."_

Tears streamed down yuta's face as hansol held him tight, but gentle as though he's a fragile glass. Yuta was overwhelmed by love, he felt so close, so connected with hansol, and that was the first time he ever cried during intercourse. He really didn't know where's the emotion coming from but it was a beautiful feeling. Really, a beautiful feeling.

_"i love you too."_

 

* * *

 

Taeyong examined the guitar and tried to see which part was possible to be repaired, so he could send it back to the store and ask for a repairement.

But the neck of the guitar was really broken, there's even a crack on top of it which was crazy. It must be stepped so violently until it became like that; he guessed.

Of course, this time taeyong wasn't kidding when he said he's mad with ten. This freaking acoustic guitar wasn't something cheap he picked on the street and took back home or anything, its a thing he treasured so much and there's so many memories behind it, even every strings had its own story. It really made taeyong felt extremely upset to see benny... like this.

A sudden flash of memory of his uncle teaching him how to play benny came into his mind, and taeyong couldn't help it when he felt sad, so sad, that he's bawling internally.

Taeyong put his phone in a silent mode because it didn't shut up since the moment ten went out from his dorm. There were tons of messages and missed calls from the thai boy, which taeyong didn't bother to reply or pick it up. Now his mind wasn't straight to talk nor holding any kind of conversation with the person who just made his most treasured guitar broken apart, lying on his desk uselessly.

He finally checked his phone, scrolling down few of the billion messages he got from ten.

 

> **tentrick ; taeyong im sorry**
> 
> **tentrick ; it really was an accident**
> 
> ******tentrick ; can u pls pick up my calls**
> 
> **tentrick ; its ok then maybe you're sleeping...**
> 
> **tentrick ; goodnight taeyong ily see u tomorrow ಥ⌣ಥ**

 

Taeyong sighed wearily, locking his phone before he threw it onto the bed.

A little, a very little part of him said he shouldn't be doing this, he shouldn't be mad at ten, but he couldn't help it. Not this time, not this one.

"forgive my boyfriend for breaking you," taeyong drummed his knuckles over the guitar body, chuckling dryly, "ah, i remember you helped me when i wanted to confess to him." he started to babble, voice cracking at the end as the emotion was getting the best of him.

It was silence for awhile, until taeyong talked again, "i miss uncle... you must be missing him too." his throat tightened painfully when a sudden thought of his uncle came into his mind, a whimper tickled his throat, "rest in peace benny, thank you for everything."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm so emotional while writing this last part bcs actually benny is real, he's a broken piece of art that's rotting in his case,,, my cousin dropped benny and we didn't talk for 2 months after that lmFAO (btw wat a sappy chapter sighs again)


	15. what2do

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> idek oh mY gOD

_Just prepare for the worst and keep your expectations low,_ \- ten thought to himself when he saw the bus he had been waiting for finally showed up.

Its a lie if he said he's not nervous with whatever that's going to happen in the next minute.

When ten went inside, he saw taeyong was sleeping with his hood up, wearing earphones; clearly didn't want to be disturbed. Ten sat down on his usual seat with a weary sigh, he really didn't know how to do this, mentally yelling about  _how_ hard this going to be. Like, was he going to waste this only moment of confrontation or should he-

Ten blew his bangs out of his eyes in frustration, slumping back in his chair and decided that he should just mind his own business.

It took around 15 minutes for the bus to arrive at ten's stop, and when the thai boy saw his stop was approaching, he turned his attention to taeyong who remained unmoving from his sleeping posture. Ten carefully pulled down taeyong's hood, before he leaned in and kissed taeyong's temple, whispering a soft  _i'm sorry_  even though he knew its pretty much useless.

Usually after ten got out from the bus, he'd wave at taeyong from the outside but now for sure that wasn't going to happen. Ten spared taeyong a glance once he's outside, and his heart broke a little when he saw the hood that was down just now, was already back again draping over taeyong's head.

Taeyong wasn't sleeping throughout the bus ride, _h_ _e's just avoiding._

Ten watched with heavy heart as the bus head off to its next destination, his shoulders slumped forward, moping.

 

* * *

 

The torture continued until the third day and ten was near to turn green with all the frustrations he held on the inside.

Everytime ten went inside the bus, taeyong would be sleeping, or if he's extra unlucky, taeyong wouldn't be there.

Ten tried contacting taeyong but all he got was.. nothing. He hadn't talked to taeyong for days now and its unbearable. He missed taeyong so goddamn much, he missed his hugs, his kisses, the way taeyong lazily tangled his limbs with ten's while they engaged into a hush conversation. Ten missed all of those, and its frustrating.

At this point, ten preferred if taeyong would've just blew up and cursed the hell out of him in his face than to go through this kind of 'punishment'. The silent treatment was really painful to endure for ten, it made him became miserable. Sad to say, but it's his greatest weakness,  _silent treatment._

"it feels like he's blowing me off," ten sobbed, spilling it all at winwin, "i know i'm wrong okay, but we should at least talk."

Winwin rubbed ten's back in a comforting manner, he's bad with words but he's trying, "give him some time ten, let him cool down first."

"it hurts, winwin."

"i know."

The cool breeze ran through them, making their hair tousled slightly as they both walked around hangang, on their friday night routine as usual.

This time something was off, the squad wasn't complete because taeyong wasn't there, and ten didn't know the exact reason why but _its obvious_. He chased all of those tiring thoughts out of his mind, an empty expression settled on his face.

Ten was really tired of this.

 

* * *

 

Taeil loved how johnny's hair became messy after it get blown by the wild wind of the night. It something that made johnny looked so effortlessly attractive and sexy in the same time.

"you're staring."

A deep shade of red dusted over taeil's cheeks but he couldn't hold back his grin, "your hair."

"what's with my hair?" johnny straightened his hair, feeling self-conscious with the attention he's getting at.

"i like them." taeil blurted out and it was an _accident._ He cleared his throat awkwardly, getting flustered and fidgety while he stood in front of johnny who's sitting on the bench, "i mean they look soft?"

A stupid, a _very_ stupid goofy grin spread across johnny's lips, "ah, you wanna say that you actually want to touch it?"

"no that's not what i mean!"

Johnny chuckled, his eyes crinkled into crescent moons, "i don't have the 'i don't want to be touched' issue so feel free to do it." he shrugged, its not a big deal to him.

Taeil flashed johnny a sheepish grin, his hand slowly reached to johnny's hair. His intention was just to stroke those smooth locks but his hand didn't listen to his mind.

He watched silently as johnny closed his eyes, sighing contentedly when taeil ran his fingers through johnny's hair, his fingertips brushed against his scalp. Johnny obviously loved having his hair played like this, taeil observed.

"you look like my cat when i scratch the back of his ear." taeil laughed as he retracted his hand.

Johnny chuckled, its true, that he loved it when people played with his hair. Its relaxing, and having taeil did it, it felt much nicer. Johnny honestly didn't know why he felt like that.

"guys?"

The boys turned to look from where the voice came from, just to see yuta and hansol were standing in front of them. Johnny raised his eyebrows, feeling a little surprised because from what he remembered, he didn't see anybody coming their way just now? or maybe he's too distracted.

"what's up?" taeil asked, a small smile stretched across his lips. Its really impressive how he looked so, _so_ unfazed with hansol's presence. Johnny didn't think he could do that with his ex.

"just feel like talking with you two." hansol said, he sounded awkward and stiff, his vibe screamed uncomfortable.

Yuta possessively wrapped his arms around hansol's waist from the behind, his hands locked on the front, shooting red lasers out of his eyes at taeil as he rested his face on hansol's shoulder.

This made taeil laughed a little, he quickly waved it off in front of them, "don't worry, i hate him anyway." he directed it to hansol, laughing some more, as if its the funniest joke in the world.

The atmosphere grew tense as nobody found that funny, and taeil noticed this. He stopped laughing, but a smile was still there tugging over his lips, "so, how's your life now ji hansol?"

 

* * *

 

Winwin and ten went to the basketball area to find mark. Ten had an extravaganza plan in his head, and he obviously wanted to drag his favourite baby bro to join him.

Ten jumped like a child when he saw mark was there in the court, playing basketball as usual. Mark saw him and quickly ran to the thai male, a huge grin spread across his lips, happy to see his hyung came to see him.

The three boys went to take a stroll around hangang, deciding that it was the perfect time for mark and ten to catch up on each other.

"are you free tomorrow?" ten asked mark, hoping the boy would have a free time.

"available as always, why?"

"wanna follow me to somewhere?"

"where?" mark stopped spinning his basketball on his finger, attention full on ten.

"nowhere fancy though, but do you want to follow?" ten wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, "i'll drag my friends too."

"ah, how i wish i can tag along." winwin pouted, he wanted to join to wherever they're going but he's not gonna be free tomorrow.

"next time then," ten chuckled, "there's always next time my friend." ten did a rainbow motion with his hands, imitating spongebob.

Winwin replied with a snort, didn't say anything to fight that fact.

"so what do you say?" ten asked mark again, confirming it.

"okay, count me in."

 

* * *

 

The next day, when taeyong came out from his morning cold shower, he didn't expect to see his phone vibrating violently on top of his desk. Twice. Taeyong frowned a little, rubbing his towel over his damp hair while scrolling down the unread messages.

 

> **from hansol ; pls settle your problem with ten asap he's been bawling while pigging out all of my pringles for days now and i'm really not proud of this.**

 

> **from johnseo ; enough with the torture dude, better put this on a dot before somebody else going to put a dot on your relationship u know wat i'm saying**

 

Taeyong frowned at these messages, especially johnny's. _What's johnny trying to say actually?_ taeyong thought, feeling uneasy. Taeyong didn't do this on purpose, he didn't start the silent treatment on purpose. Hell, that's not his intention in the first place. He just needed some time alone to cool off, nothing more than that.

He shifted his attention back to his phone and read the last message,

 

> **from johnseo ; like i said, appreciate him.**

 

Something hit taeyong hard after he read the last two words. His eyes widened in horror after he remembered where did that came from.

 

_"taeyong?" johnny called, voice hushed._

_"hm?"_

_"appreciate him."_

_Taeyong didn't know who was johnny talking about but his heart twisted with guilty for no reason._

_"i will."_

 

 _"_ _jesus,"_  taeyong could feel his pulse quicken as his mind connected the dots, "oh my god, no no no."

 

_"well, i like this one guy but he likes someone else. i never confess to him, but he told me about that guy he likes everyday. Its like he wanna say that i have no hope to even make a move on him even though he never know my feelings. he friendzone me and somehow it feels worser than get rejected."_

 

It took a moment for taeyong to calm down from his panic attack and let the terrifying thoughts to sink deeply into him. He hastily dialed ten's number, biting his nail anxiously while waiting for the call to be answered, "pick up, pick up, pick up." he chanted, pacing back and forth.

A faint beep from the other line could be heard, signaling that the number couldn't be reached.

Taeyong cursed, irritated but worries overpowered him. He tried again once more, "pick up please, where are you." 

His hope crashed, fear took over him when the only thing that kept on answering his calls were the faint beep.

Taeyong was panic-stricken and its not funny.

_What goes around comes around._

"what's going on seo youngho."

 

* * *

 

Money had never been a problem to ten. He always had a stack of cash along with his precious plastic card in his wallet. He could just swipe his credit card anytime on anything, and his parents would never yell at him for that. Spoil brat, yes, but that's the only thing his parents could offer to ten who's staying far, far away from his family.

The good thing was, ten usually didn't spend too much if its not necessary.

This time though, he didn't care. Its necessary. Its his last effort.

"i think this one is nice, what do you think?" ten asked yuta and mark, earning an in-sync shaking head from the two.

"no hyung, i think this one is better!" mark suggested.

They're in Yamaha, the glorious purplish instruments store. Ten brought his friends here to accompany and helped him to find a new guitar for taeyong.

"no, i think this one is nicer than that." johnny pointed at one of the cream-colored acoustic guitar.

"no no no, i think this one is better." yuta eagerly showed ten the guitar beside the one johnny suggested.

The staff who's been watching and tailing them for awhile now was giving them the squidward-like resting bitch face. He's mentally praying for the kids not to cause any damage.

Hansol let out an exaggerated exasperated sigh, "ten, just choose anything you think nice and suits him."

Ten contemplated for awhile, his eyes darting from guitar to guitar, "i think i'll pick this one."

Yuta jumped in victory, because ten chose the guitar he suggested to. A black dreadnought acoustic guitar.

The staff heaved a sigh of relief, before he started to explain little things to ten; that the case was sold separately, the warranty and etc. He dismissed the brief talk by telling ten to wait for awhile.

"man, they sell fancy guitar picks." johnny said, hand slinging around mark's shoulder as they followed ten to the front cashier.

"right? the glass one though, wow." mark replied, sounding enthusiastic as usual.

"you guys want it?" ten asked, "if you want it you can have one though, well as a thank you from me for coming today?" he offered genuinely.

"really??" mark was obviously thankful because he had lost his guitar pick last time, his fingers hurt from strumming without the pick.

"yeah why not." ten grinned, knuckles drummed over the cashier desk, waiting for the staff to fall from the sky with his chosen guitar.

Johnny and mark squeezed ten in a bone crushing hug, before they asked another staff about the guitar picks.

 

* * *

 

The night before, jaehyun had told him about he'd be going for a date with doyoung tomorrow, which resulting in taeyong to be homed alone at their dorm.

A little 'conspiracy' happened between them, which lead to ten standing in front of taeyong's dorm right now, quietly punching down the dorm's password jaehyun told him yesterday. His heart was beating faster, so fast, as he felt the anxiousness crept into him a little by little.

The door finally opened with a click, and ten was taking a forever standing there just to take a deep, very deep breath in order to calm his nerves. He finally stepped inside in an incredibly anxious and nervous state, his palms were sweating, obviously expecting the worst.

The dorm was empty and quiet. Too quiet for a sunny evening, but not like ten complaining, not at all.

There's no sign of taeyong anywhere which was good. He honestly preferred it that way. He wasn't there for a confrontation, how irony.

Ten tiptoed to the kitchen, his mind and senses were fully alert on everything, scared if he'd trip on another thing this time.

He carefully opened the fridge to put the toblerone he bought just now, and closed the fridge quietly, didn't want to make any noise. 

Ten placed the newly guitar that still smelt like Yamaha store, by placing the black hard case carefully on top of the kitchen counter. That's it. His task was over.

He turned around, just to see taeyong's face was inch away from him and ten accidentally screamed out of pure shock. Ten clutched his chest because of the sudden of mini heart attack, least expecting this to happen. But he quickly recovered after he saw how _serious_ taeyong's expression was.

Taeyong raised his eyebrows, silently demanding for an explanation.

"uhh..." ten looked down to his feet, intimidated by the stare, "i'm here to send this," ten pointed at the guitar he brought.

Taeyong frowned, confused, but still didn't say anything as he let his eyes glued on the black guitar case.

Taking the silent as a sign for him to continue, he started to explain. This time he looked up, but still didn't meet with taeyong's eyes, "i bought this new one to replace your guitar that i broke. its my fault i know, i'm clumsy and-"

Taeyong raised his hand, making ten shut his eyes and flinched reflexively as he expected a strong blow to come; a punch, a slap, or anything.

Taeyong's eyes widened at this, _he just wanted to straighten ten's hair._  His heart ached after he saw how ten flinched away from him like he's some sort of crazy monster. Ten was supposed to feel secure and safe around him, not fearful like this.

"ten..." taeyong walked closer to ten, taking the younger's freezing hands in his, "ten, look at me."

Ten reluctantly looked up, tears welling in his eyes the moment he locked gaze with taeyong. The pain of longing crashed into him like a ton of bricks fell over his head, the obvious hurt in his eyes sent a harsh pang across taeyong's heart, and that's when johnny's words started to scream right on his face.

Taeyong pulled ten into a bone-crushing hug, "i'm so sorry," he murmured, "so sorry." He wrapped an arm firmly around ten's back, the other hand gently stroking the younger's hair, "god, i wasn't going to hit you, i will never do that." he tightened his hold around ten, reassuring the shaking boy.

Ten didn't say anything in reply, his lips quivered as he clutched taeyong's shirt tightly, fighting the urge to break down.

"i'm sorry." taeyong retracted himself a little, cupping ten's face in his hands, "i love you more than benny, i swear."

The feel of taeyong's lips against his was electrifying. The intense tingly sensation spread through ten like a liquid fire, sending shudder running down his spine before a wave of indescribable feeling passed strongly through him, and that's when ten realised he was crying.

Ten broke the kiss, his breath was shorter than usual since he's practically sobbing.

Taeyong's heart crashed when ten started to cry uncontrollably on his shoulder, "shit, what have i done.." taeyong's voice trailed off, panicked.

Ten didn't know why but he laughed a little at that, his weak laughter laced with whimpers, and taeyong really didn't know what to do anymore. He's really bad with comforting.

After what seemed like an eternity, ten finally calmed down, but his arms still securely wrapped around taeyong's neck, no sign of letting go, "i really miss you."

"i really miss you too." taeyong carefully lifted ten onto the kitchen counter. He retracted himself a little and ten was quick to hide his face in his hands, muttering a  _don't look, i'm ugly._

Teyong gently pried ten's hands away, he brushed the fringe out of ten's eyes, wiping the boy's tears with his thumbs. Ten looked so fragile and vulnerable like this, and taeyong had never felt like stabbing himself so much.

"taeyong, i'm just- i'm sorry." ten said, almost slurring his words, his hiccup was interrupting his talk.

"apology accepted," taeyong let ten fiddled with his fingers, "i'm sorry too, but really, i didn't ignore you for fun. its not like i'm having fun watching you suffer, no. i was just taking my time to cool off. i know i'm being a bitch, but could you forgive me?"

Ten shook his head, "its my fault it happened." ten looked down as he fiddled with taeyong's fingers, as if that's the most interesting thing to do in world.

"no ten, i.. i'm really sorry." taeyong stammered with a nearly desperate tone, johnny's words were haunting him down without him knowing, "i missed you so much i couldn't sleep properly at night, its crazy, and i'm such a huge idiot for making you cry like this, i'm so sorry."

Ten hugged taeyong tightly, his legs wrapped around taeyong's waist, drawing the boy closer "yes, you're an idiot but you're my _pabo_." ten chuckled, his remaining tears rolled down his cheeks as the emotions started to get all over him again.

 

 

 

 

"what should i name him?" taeyong cradled his new guitar on his lap, facing ten who's sitting on the couch beside him.

"i don't know? i'm bad in giving names." 

"oh, i have an idea." taeyong grinned, finally found the right name.

"what is it?"

"tennie."

Ten clutched his heart tightly, faking a heart attack with an exaggerating pain expression, "oh my heart." ten did a heart-thumping motion over his heart, earning a giggle from taeyong.

"is it bad though." taeyong pouted, faking a disappointment.

"no, the name is cute," ten stole a kiss from taeyong who's pouting, and got a light slap on his shoulder as a return, "its my name anyway of course its cute." ten flipped his non-existent long hair, making taeyong rolled his eyes, snorting.

"guess what taeyong."

"what?"

"benny and tennie right?"

"yeah?"

"they're ben 10."

Ten laughed over his own attempted joke, almost rolling on the couch. A surprise yelp slipped off ten's mouth when taeyong engaged him in a headlock and peppered loud, smacking kisses all over his face, making the thai boy roared in laughter and screams because it tickled.

Taeyong let go of ten after he finished abusing the boy's face with his kisses, and put the guitar back into its case. Ten took this opportunity to run away, scrambling out of the couch.

Bless his long legs. Taeyong chased after ten and when he caught up, he grabbed ten by the arm and whirled him around. Ten squealed when taeyong threw him over his shoulder. He launched a series of ridiculous whacks to taeyong's back with a  _bring me down, bring me down!_ but not like the rascal would hear him.

Taeyong went to his room and threw ten over his bed, making the little boy giggled as he's bounced over the fluffy bed.

The way taeyong was crawling into the bed, _crawling to ten_ more specifically, with his predatory gaze and smug smirk made ten scrambled backward until his back touched the headboard.

"you think you can run, huh?" taeyong pulled ten's legs abruptly until ten slid down flat on his back, and ten's body jerked in surprise, clutching tightly on the headboard for a support.

Ten watched in panic as taeyong straddled him and cracked his knuckles with a smirk tugged on his lips, "no no no, taeyong!"

Ten had never laughed so loud in his life before, he's writhing like an eel as taeyong tickled his sides mercilessly, fingers wiggling over ten's belly and sides up to his ribs.

Taeyong was having so much fun hearing those high pitched laughter and he wanted to hear more. He slid his head underneath ten's baggy shirt, playfully rubbing his fringe against ten's belly, making the boy squirmed violently as he screamed with laughter, his legs kicking all over the place. 

Taeyong got out from his little hiding place, "i win!" he exclaimed, punching air with a triumphant smile.

"who says?"

Ten wrapped his legs around the older's waist before he rolled them over, pinning taeyong's hands over his head. His grip was surprisingly strong and firm. A wicked smile tugged over ten's lips, "payback time, baby."

The dorm was filled with laughter and shrieks as the boys engaged into a wrestle, play fighting and rolling on the bed to no end.

Taeyong flipped them over, clasping their hands together and fought his best to pin ten down. Its not an easy thing to do when ten was kicking taeyong's legs and flailing non-stop, but after putting almost full strength and pressure on the grip, taeyong finally won as he pinned ten's hands over his head.

"i win again for real!" taeyong hollered in victory before he collapsed on the bed, both were panting and sweating from their little play-fighting activity.

"you cheated!"

"you bit my shoulder and you said i'm cheating." taeyong pointed at his shoulder where the visible biting mark was.

"you licked my ear and you pretend like you're not cheating." ten exaggerated a shudder, making taeyong laughed, embarrassed.

They laid still in a comfortable silence, all they could hear was the sound of themselves panting, catching their breaths.

After a moment of calming down, ten rolled over to his side and draped his leg lazily over taeyong, "we call this..."

"a make up wrestle?" taeyong chuckled, wrapping his arm around ten's frame and brought the boy closer. 

"yeah!" ten fiddled with taeyong's fingers, he stopped when taeyong interlaced their fingers together, "because make up sex is too mainstream."

"how dare you said that in front of me," taeyong crossed his legs over ten's, limbs tangled even more.

"i don't know? you tell me." ten looked up, giving taeyong one of his bright goofy smile that made taeyong smiled instantly.

"i've no comment." they laughed airily.

Silence seemed like it loved to stick around taeyong and ten, as it fell comfortably again, making taeyong closed his eyes to appreciate this peaceful moment.

Ten on the other hand, taking it as a chance for him to appreciate the art who right now, was lying in front of him. His eyes lingered on taeyong's face tenderly, admiring his inhumanely perfect features. It made ten's breath hitched because taeyong looked so insanely perfect up-close,  _so_ dreamy, _so fucking gorgeous_  in his eyes, it hurt a little. Even taeyong's deep scar beside his eye looked so pretty in ten's eyes, it was crazy. Ten was in his  _god, i love this guy so fucking much_ phase.

Ten placed a soft peck over taeyong's cheek, a smile spread across his lips when he saw taeyong's eyes fluttering opened.

"what was that for?" taeyong raised his eyebrows, literally grinning.

 _You're beautiful,_ the words almost rolled out of ten's mouth but he let it stayed on the tip of his tongue. His eyes already said it all, honestly.

Ten slowly retracted his hand out of taeyong's grasp and reached up to taeyong's face, lightly caressing the older's cheek with his thumb before he slowly traced his finger along taeyong's jawline, making the older leaned in instinctively.

Their lips hovered dangerously close, their breaths mingled together but none of them made a move to close the gap.

Ten could feel taeyong's heart was thumping loudly against his chest, in sync with his own heartbeat. He set his eyes over taeyong's lips before he looked up at the boy, his hooded eyes darkened, "i love you." ten murmured, their lips brushing in the process.

Taeyong erased all of their gap as he leaned in, pressing their lips together. Ten slid his fingers into taeyong's hair and tugged on it lightly to tilt his head back, adjusting the angle to deepen the kiss. Ten got a little aggressive as all the pent up frustration started to take a hold on him. A low, appreciative growl rumbled in taeyong's chest, loving this side of ten. He wrapped his arms around the younger's waist, and brought ten up to top on him, letting the little boy to take the lead.

"i love you too." taeyong murmured against ten's lips, his fingers messily ran through the younger's hair, his other hand caressed ten's jaw.

The evening was spent by them latched onto the bed, limbs entangled, hushed conversations and pillow talks popping up every now and then but kept of getting interrupted with long lazy kisses until their lips were sore and swollen.

 _Worth it,_ ten thought. The effort, the money, the time. Everything worth it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i couldn't afford to make ten too docile and submissive


	16. Denial

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everybody's in denial.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> late update rocks (͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) HKJASDHAJF THIS IS ANOTHER RUSHING CHAPTER ACTUALLY excuse the ridiculous mistakes if u found any its midnight rN IDEK

Johnny didn't know what's going on actually. He was confused.

He didn't know why people was teasing him with taeil, he didn't know why people said he's flirting with taeil and vice versa. Johnny didn't think he had any special feeling with taeil.

To be honest, taeil wasn't that bad. No, he was amazing, perfect even. He's a good listener, calm and adorably awkward. Talking with taeil always made johnny felt at ease. Laid back and reserved, which johnny found it charming. Taeil's just so on point.

And that's the number one reason why johnny felt extremely confused and didn't know what's going on with _himself._

From what he remembered, his heart still beating annoyingly fast when ten was around him, he still that somebody who'd be a stuttering mess when ten was too closed with him, he still could feel the blood rushed to his face, the tips of his ears turned red when ten giggled over his lame jokes. That brat was adorable as hell but always caused a little heartache to johnny.

Moving on had never been easy for johnny, especially when the person lingered around him everyday. That of course, would take so much effort, and johnny wasn't sure if he could do it. 

Things get even more complicated for johnny when taeil dropped plenty big hints to him these past few days, and johnny wanted to yell at himself for playing along with all the flirtings. He honestly wished he's just as dense and oblivious as ten so he wouldn't feel pressured like this.

One thing for sure, johnny couldn't use taeil to erase ten from his heart. He told himself many, many times that he couldn't and wouldn't do that, because it's just too cruel to use somebody else to get him get over his problem and heartbroken state, and taeil really didn't deserve that.  _Moon taeil deserved to be loved sincerely, purely with full heart and not to be taken advantage of,_ johnny told himself again and again.

_Heart says yes, head says no._

Johnny pressed his face into the pillow and screamed. Frustrated, confused, just so so _so_ confused.

Suddenly, his phone rang loudly on top of the night stand. Johnny groaned, mentally cursing at whoever was that because they just interrupted his peaceful moment, even though its not really peaceful. He lazily took the phone and looked at the caller id.

_ty is calling..._

He raised his eyebrows, amused and surprised. Johnny quickly picked up the call and put it on a speaker mode.

"hello-"

_"meet me at hangang, at the skate park, now."_

The flat beep coming a second after that, signaling the call had come to its end.

Johnny was left jaw dropped, still staring at his phone on the night stand, dumbfounded. It took a full minute for him to let the sudden information to sink into his almost freezing brain, "did i do something wrong? i don't think so? what's with that tone? from what i remember i didn't steal his toblerone?" johnny grumbled, lazily get out from his bed to take a shower.

 

* * *

 

Chaos happened.

The squad almost gone crazy after they knew about taeil's past with hansol.

"i live with you for almost 18 months hyung, and you didn't tell me about it? at all? i'm???? hurt." winwin said with an exaggerated hurt tone, his hands flailed wildly in all direction to express his 'sadness', half whispering half shouting since they're in a library. In a freaking library.

Taeil, who's trying to memorize some weird points from his economics thick ass textbook ignored the chinese boy, acting like winwin wasn't just about to stab him with his yellow highlighter.

"this is one of those moments when i really wish you're in the same age with me so i can just smack your head without getting back a double smack!" winwin said in a rushed, expressive mandarin.

Doyoung, who's sitting on the opposite of them, couldn't help but laughed at the way winwin was spitting chinese, it sounded funny in his ears, "don't disturb him, he's studying."

"more like stu-dying." taeyong butted in.

Taeil tried to kick taeyong's legs from under the table but taeyong was quick to pull his legs up and hugged them to his chest. Taeyong wiggled his eyebrows in a challenging manner, mischief gleamed in his eyes.

Taeil sighed in defeat, shifting his attention back to his textbook. He really had no time to play with these kids.

"guys, i'm hungr-" winwin stopped midway when he saw a guy, _the guy_  who he claimed annoying (because that guy always made his heart vibrating to the max and that's  _disturbingly annoying_ ), walking to take a seat on the table beside his, _"wow."_ his breath hitched as his eyes glued at this guy. It was hard for winwin to look away, and so he didn't, which made his heart beat faster and faster, thundering in his chest and it felt disturbingly annoying. This guy had been proven to be absolutely _rude._

"wow." he repeated, eyes finally caught the guy's name on his student id that hung around his neck; _qian kun._

Winwin's face flushed deep shade of red when he saw this qian kun guy ran his hand through his hair in an incredibly sinful way, making winwin felt strangely _giddy,_ "man, he's hot." he accidentally blurted it out in chinese.

Maybe, _maybe_ kun heard it, because his eyes immediately searching for winwin's, flashing the younger one of his adorable yet playful grin (almost looked like a drool-worthy smirk actually), his dimples showing, lashes batting flirtatiously under those  _innocent_  look. 

Winwin had to look away immediately and bit his fist to suppress his ridiculous squeal. A string of _oh my god, hold me_ muffled against his fist.

Taeyong threw the flannel that once draped over his shoulders to winwin, landing right on his face, "you look crazy."

"at least i wasn't the one to giggle while looking at my phone." winwin sassed, crumpling the red flannel into a ball before he threw it back at its owner.

Taeyong didn't say anything to fight that remark. He draped the flannel over his shoulders again before he looked at his phone, and giggled _again._  Most probably his favorite person in the world was using an extremely cheesy pick-up line in the message.

Doyoung rolled his eyes at the sound of hush giggles slipping off taeyong's mouth every now and then. He didn't know how taeil could study with a giggly taeyong sat in front of him. Doyoung was sure that taeil had a superpower called deaf-eared.

In the middle of texting with ten, taeyong suddenly remembered something. He dialed johnny's number after he sent ten the text.

Taeyong waited patiently, playing with taeil's yellow highlight subconsciously. He straightened when he heard johnny finally picked up the call.

"hello-"

"meet me at hangang, at the skate park, now." taeyong said monotonously, before he ended the call.

He sent another message to ten, saying he's dismissed early today and would be heading to hangang by now. Taeyong stood up, slinging his backpack over his shoulder and bid his friends a goodbye, heading to the exit door.

"hyung, where are you going?" jaehyun asked, he just entered the library and taeyong wanted to leave already?

"meeting your hippo."

 

* * *

 

Johnny always late. Always. Meanwhile, taeyong, he's always punctual. On time, and early.

Taeyong tapped his foot impatiently as he leaned against the railing, waiting for johnny to show up.

The skate park, as expected, wasn't that crowded, since it's still in school hour. Only a few people were skating in the area. Its a strategic place if in case taeyong wanted to beat johnny to a pulp.

After another few minutes of waiting, a harsh familiar shove came in contact with his shoulder, "hey, miss me?"

Taeyong couldn't stop himself from sending a sharp glare at johnny, who's wearing a wide grin, "oho, bad day?" johnny asked, exchanging a bro hug with his little bestfriend.

"no," taeyong said, a forced smile tugged on his lips. He took a long pause before he continued, "johnny, don't you think you have something you need to tell me."

Johnny frowned, confused, "something..? no, i don't think so?"

Taeyong turned to look at johnny, his expression was unreadable but dead serious, "something. something like what's the name of that person you like?"

If taeyong blinked his eyes at that time, he's sure he wouldn't catch the caught-off-guard look on johnny's face, "why do you want to know?"

Its taeyong's turn to frown this time, his patience beginning to fade, "because its my boyfriend the one you like." taeyong said, his tone was laced with natural sense of betrayal and disappointment.

Johnny's eyes widened, startled and speechless. His eyes were darting everywhere, avoiding taeyong's burning gaze.

"since when?" taeyong asked, boring holes into johnny's face.

"last year?"

Taeyong pursed his lips into a thin line, "confessed?"

"no." johnny shook his head, heaving a deep sigh as he looked up, amused at how the gloomy sky was reflecting his emotion.

Taeyong hopped on the railing, finding himself was too heavy with the information that he couldn't stand still anymore, "okay and then."

"and then what?"

"the message."

"oh."

A tense silence lingered around them, nobody took an initiative to break the icy silence and it lasted for a good five minutes until taeyong decided he'd, had enough.

"do you mean it? the message?" taeyong asked again.

It took a few seconds for johnny to answer, "i meant it." johnny said boldly, his voice was steady, flicking something inside of taeyong.

Taeyong hopped off the railing frantically, "come again??"

"i meant it." johnny repeated, an unexpected irritation rose in him, "hurt him again and you'll see he crawls to me instead of going back to you." 

A sudden surge of rage ran through taeyong's veins, making him grabbed johnny by his collar, pulling the tall boy down to his level roughly, "fucking say that again." taeyong snarled, his eyes lost its softness, his jaw tightened, fists clenched tightly around johnny's collar, as if he's holding himself back. And taeyong could've sworn he saw a gleam of _challenging_ in johnny's eyes before it dissolved into something unreadable.

"hey i was just kidding." johnny said, harsher than he's supposed to sound like when people said they're just kidding. Johnny pried taeyong's hands off his collar forcefully, causing the boy to stumble a step backward from the great force.

"you think its funny." taeyong spat, shoving johnny's shoulder harshly in a provoking manner.

Johnny glared angrily at his friend, "get lost taeyong." he pushed taeyong away when the boy still stubbornly lingered in his personal space. Johnny sighed in pure annoyance as he straightened his clothes, getting his shit together before something else happened.

"taeyong!" a familiar child-like voice called, making both of the boys whipped around just to see ten was half-running to them.

Ten's presence was like a wild yet calm breeze came swishing into the place, chasing all of the negative vibes away.

Taeyong's expression softened immediately, a small smile settled on his face, "hello there." he stretched his arm to reach over ten, both grinning as they interlaced their fingers together.

"you guys meet up without me, huh." ten kicked johnny's shoe lightly, earning a small laughter from the tall boy.

Taeyong _observed_ , watched silently how johnny's laughter almost sounded like foolish-lovestruck giggle, how his eyes crinkled into crescent moons, how there's a glint of adoration and love in johnny's eyes taeyong swore he hadn't ever seen before and how a small kick could get johnny _blushed._ It was subtle, everything was subtle and would seem normal if taeyong didn't know about johnny's feeling, and it made sense why ten was so oblivious about it. Johnny was doing a great job in hiding it.

"personal gay talk, you know." johnny chuckled lightly, his voice naturally turned huskier than usual, and it stung _so much_ in taeyong's ears.

Taeyong was fuming with possessiveness, he could literally feel it started to overpower his rationality and it get worser when his insecurities were starting to hook its claws into him, turning his possessive mode to its almost highest level. Taeyong wrapped his arms around ten's waist and brought the boy closer until ten's back pressed flat against his chest, making the thai boy stopped talking as he's caught off guard. Taeyong buried his face into the crook of ten's neck, tightening his grip around ten's waist as he mouthed a _mine_ against ten's racing pulse.

Johnny's heart hammered in his chest, increasing just in sync with his raging jealousy. But it didn't last long as his building jealousy crumbled into nothing after he realised it wasn't his place to feel _like that._

Ten ruffled taeyong's hair slightly, "taeyong, what's wrong?" ten asked, completely oblivious with the situation, "bad day?"

"yeah," taeyong's low murmur sent vibration through ten's neck, making the hair on his nape stood up, "i'm hungry." taeyong changed the topic.

"lets go grab a lunch then, i'm hungry too. what do you want to eat?"

"i'm craving for ramyeon." taeyong slowly get out from his little hiding place and rested his chin over ten's shoulder, their noses almost touched. He could just leaned in and kissed ten right then and there but taeyong wasn't that _heartless._

"wanna come to my place?" ten offered, voice was barely a whisper, "i'm a professional ramyeon cooker if you don't know."

Taeyong chuckled, rubbing his nose against ten's to suppress the urge, "okay."

Ten shifted his attention back to johnny, who's currently scrolling things on his phone, his resting bitch face made ten contemplated to disturb him, but he still did it anyway, "johnny do you want to join?"

Johnny looked up from his phone, his eyes shifted at taeyong as if he's sending a telepathy, asking  _is it okay if i tag along._ Taeyong nodded, smiling even, and it was a genuine smile. Johnny heaved a sigh of relief, its good to know that they're in a good terms.

"he's roaring in here," johnny tapped his tummy, "of course i'm joining."

 

* * *

 

It wasn't that easy. It wasn't easy to control his insecurities, to control the tendency to overthink and stopped those devil whispers from invading his mind. It wasn't easy for taeyong.

"right taeyong?" ten turned his head at taeyong, asking for something but his smile faded when he saw taeyong was zoning out, deep in thoughts, "taeyong... really, what's wrong? is there anything bothering your mind?" ten asked, his voice laced with heavy concern, his hand searching for taeyong's.

"huh- oh, i'm fine." taeyong squeezed ten's hand, reassuring the younger that he's fine. Ten frowned, obviously not buying the excuse but he dropped it, taking a mental note that he'll dig it later.

Johnny spared taeyong a quick glance, he knew exactly he's the reason why taeyong was behaving like that, "guess what? i flunked my history test again," johnny said, changing the topic, in attempt to lighten the atmosphere. He stood up and brought his bowl to the sink, "not like i ever pass that goddamn subject." he started to babble while washing the dishes.

Taeyong laughed lightly, johnny hated history with all his life since they're in highschool. Its nice to hear some things never changed, "and then there's me, failing calculus for the zillion times in my life and still have faith to swag around."

Its johnny's turn to laugh. Its amusing how calculus was his favorite subject and history was taeyong's, but they're failing each other's favorite subject ever since 1995, "well, numbers are tricky and complicated. meanwhile, facts are just facts, no twisting here and there but its still hard to stick in our mind, right?" he said, wiping his hands with the napkin.

"that smells like it has a hidden message," ten scrunched up, couldn't catch the meaning.

"i don't know but does it?" johnny asked back, sarcasm lilt in his voice.

Johnny went to take his back pack, walking to the fridge and casually took a can of sprite, as if he's in his dorm, and that's his fridge, "oh yes by the way, thanks for the ramyeon shortie." 

"anytime, fatass."

"bye dipshit, miss me." johnny waved diva-ly at taeyong, laughing wholeheartedly when taeyong kicked his ass.

"miss me more big doofus." he waved lazily at johnny.

The front door closed with a faint click. Leaving only ten and taeyong alone at the kitchen. It was quiet for awhile; ten was busy concentrating with his game on his phone while taeyong was busy eating his remaining ramyeon.

The silence was filled with a dash of _tension_ that they both tried to ignore. It was an abrupt attack, and very much uncomfortable.

Taeyong stood up after he finished with his meal, and went to wash the dishes. It was funny how ten also stood up from his seat a second after that, walking to the fridge, mentally praying that the sprite johnny took wasn't the last one.

Ten was internally dancing when he saw there's still a can of sprite left. He took one, gulping it down thirstily like he didn't drink anything for one year long, finishing it with a long and loud sigh. He leaned against the kitchen counter, placing his sprite on his side, eyes glued on his phone screen as he scrolled down his twitter timeline, unaware that his favorite sponge was walking to him.

Taeyong snatched the phone out of ten's grasp, a playful smiled tugged on his lips as he set the phone down beside the sprite, "hi cutie." his hands ghosted over ten's hips before it settled on the countertop.

Ten chuckled, "hi handsome." ten had this rabbit-like goofy grin on his face as he fiddled with taeyong's hoodie strings. He gave a light tug on the drawstrings, earning a low chuckle from taeyong.

"you're so naughty," taeyong said, his voice turned lower and raspy, sending a slight shiver ran down ten's spine.

"you think so?" his dark teasing eyes locked with taeyong's intense ones as he slowly pulled taeyong closer by the hoodie strings.

Taeyong would like to play along, but maybe next time.

A low laughter rumbled in the back of ten's throat when taeyong surged forward and claimed his lips, ten found it _fun_ to push someone's button. Ten placed his hands on taeyong's chest, gently pushing him backwards until taeyong was leaned against the countertop on the opposite.

The kiss started slow, filled with a slight hesitance, as if they're trying to hold themselves back. But the thing happened next told them otherwise.

A sudden feeling of wanting to touch taeyong everywhere overcame ten, making him pressed taeyong hard against the countertop as he deepened the kiss, hands slipping under taeyong's shirt. Ten groaned when his hands slid over taeyong's abs, letting his blunt nails raked down those muscles, and taeyong jerked a little, moaning softly into ten's mouth.

They pulled away for air, their noses brushed, panting against each other's lips. Ten looked at taeyong with an indescribable gaze, and the way his gaze darkened sent a sudden tingling sensation crawling on taeyong's skin. It was intense, enough to make taeyong turned them around and instantly lifted ten up to sit on top of the kitchen counter. Lips slotting together, tongues rolled against each other's in a hot sensuous duel as taeyong slid his hand up underneath ten's shirt, gliding over his back, feeling ten's spine arched under his touch. Ten shuddered when he felt taeyong's fingertips skimmed down his back, his purr vibrated lowly in his throat, nails scraping against taeyong's scalp lightly as he felt his sanity started to slip off him.

Taeyong was surrounded by ten's faint strawberry-vanilla scent and it strangely drove him wild.

The kiss grew hotter and fierce, the urgency gradually increasing, hands eagerly groping everywhere. Taeyong's free hand reached up to ten's hair, tugging on the raven locks almost roughly, enough to make ten let out a long throaty moan as he gave in, letting taeyong to delve his tongue into the hot, wet cavern of his mouth.

Taeyong was going crazy, as if there's a hidden emotion burst inside of him that made him kissed ten hard, _so hard_ , it left ten a trembling mess in such vulnerable position.

Ten's lungs were burning, screaming for air, forcing him to pull away, earning a protest whine from taeyong as he chased after ten's lips. Ten let out a breathy chuckle, licking his spit-slicked lips, "wow, that was hot. you really made me forget my full name."

Taeyong laughed lightly, thumb drawing random patterns on ten's inner thigh, his eyes skimmed over every details on ten's face; swollen and glistening lips, a little cut over his lower lip, heavily hooded eyes, face flushed deep shade of red, breathless and _wrecked,_  so wrecked, it made taeyong's breath hitched with pride.

"tell me what is it," ten wrapped his legs around taeyong, his ankles crossed behind him, "there's something bothering your mind, i can feel it."

Taeyong fiddled with the hem of ten's shirt absentmindedly, "i don't know but," he paused, didn't know how to put it in words, "what do you think of johnny?" taeyong blurted out, his voice unsure, sounded like a child who's asking for something he shouldn't.

A small frowned encased ten's features, a quizzical look flickered across his face, "johnny? why are y- _oh._ " a teasing smile crawled up on ten's lips when the realisation hit him, "ooooh taeyong," he jabbed taeyong's cheek playfully, chuckling, "are you... jealous?"

Taeyong instantly hid his face in the crook of ten's neck, whining, obviously not willing to be made fun of.

"oh my god are you for real," ten broke into a fit of giggles, his laughter was contagious, making taeyong smiled unconsciously, "i didn't know someone could get so hot yet adorable when they're jealous?? i should get you jealous often." he joked, giggling uncontrollably when taeyong nuzzled his neck like a cat rubbing against his owner, lowkey tickling the younger. Ten cupped taeyong's face in his hands, pulling him out of his little hiding place, "he's our bestfriend right? our favorite brat, so there's really nothing to be jealous of. plus, he likes taeil?? right? i bet he has no time to even look at me, so don't worry."

Taeyong tensed up at this, unconsciously clawed his fingers into ten's shirt, didn't know how to deny that last sentence out loud. Ten's smile faltered after he sensed the uneasiness radiated out from the boy in front of him, "taeyong, what's wrong? is there anything i don't know?"

Taeyong didn't say anything as he looked at ten in the eyes, gaze piercing straight into ten's soul, silently sending the message.

A genuine concern washed through ten after he saw the look in taeyong's eyes; it reminded him of that one night when taeyong talked and revealed about his insecurities. _Vulnerable, seeking for reassurance._ Ten knew there must be something behind all these, but he wouldn't force taeyong to say it now. It'll come out naturally, ten thought.

"its okay if you don't want to tell me now," ten smiled reassuringly, his thumb caressing taeyong's scar lightly, "don't rush yourself."

Taeyong was just about to say something, he's just about to thank ten for being amazingly understanding when the front door opened with a faint click, revealing the uninvited person who's holding two plastic bags in his hand; both with a huge japanese wording on it.

Yuta walked to the kitchen, his eyebrows raised after he saw taeyong and ten were in a position that screamed rated-18. Not to mention, taeyong's disheveled and messy hair, with his hands rested comfortably on ten's inner thighs and his roommate just so happened to wear an extremely short shorts, and its _not_ sexy. Yuta made a mental note to burn all of ten's shorts.

"lets just hope there's no jizz stain in my kitchen." yuta grumbled, setting the plastic bags onto the countertop.

Taeyong swore he's not a prude but he couldn't help it when he get flustered by that remark. Taeyong cleared his throat awkwardly, fixing his hair and straightened his clothes as he retracted himself away from ten.

"just about to shoot it on someone's face but you decided to come back early," ten joked, earning a laughter from yuta who's weirdly entertained by that lame sex joke.

Taeyong's eyes almost bulged out from its sockets, his face suddenly felt extra warmer. He fanned his face, embarrassed as hell. No,  _he's not a prude._

Yuta shook his head, a shit eating grin plastered on his face, "you know what they say about prudes?"

Ten hopped off from the countertop and walked to yuta, wanting to steal the takoyaki, "what?"

"legit daddies."

The duo roommates broke into a fit of naughty giggles, and taeyong swore he couldn't flush anymore red. 

Now taeyong knew why they clicked so well despite all those childish yet intense bickering. _Vixens._


	17. Emptiness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hEEEy its been years ;)))) its a double update btw

Having a pair of big hands suck a lot actually. A lot.

A string of thick-accented swears left his mouth as he slammed the cylinder can to the floor repeatedly (and violently) out of frustration, literally looked like he's just about to transform to hulk.

 _"fucking hell,"_ hansol cursed, "stop laughing you dickhead!"

Hansol pointed his hand at johnny, causing the younger's laughter to grow annoyingly louder, almost choking in the process as he rolled on the floor.

Its not johnny's fault that hansol looked like a retarded with his hand stuck in the pringles can. Hansol tried to pull it off his hand but it didn't work, he flailed his hand around and it still didn't work. Hansol was working really hard to get rid of this little bitch to the point he used his feet, but sadly, it still didn't work.

Johnny, another human who had a pair of giant size hands, obviously understand this situation because he, himself had faced it for zillion times in his life, but still, hansol looked funny and johnny wasn't the one to blame for laughing too much. He slowly crawled to his roommate who's still struggling, and silently offered a help.

Still laughing, johnny grabbed a hold on the pringles can and tried to pull it once, but failed. He crawled closer to hansol, straddling his roommate and tried again but it didn't want to get the hell out from there. Damn, since when a pringles tube could get so stubborn.

Johnny changed his position, determination written all over his face. Johnny grabbed the hansol's hand that's stuck, his right leg was draped over hansol's chest from the side and his other leg slid under hansol's head. Hansol was spurting out loud encouraging words for johnny to pull the goddamn thing out. Hansol grabbed a handful of johnny's hair and pulled it harshly in attempt to boost johnny's strength in pulling the pringles can, earning a high pitched scream from his younger roommate. 

In one glance, they looked like they're having a wrestle. In second glance, everything looked extremely inappropriate. In third glance, yuta's eyes popped out, jaw dropped to the floor, almost had a stroke attack.

Ten slid under yuta's underarm and soon, his expression copied yuta's. To see two boys with big frames tangling like this on the floor really wasn't a nice sight. Terrifying indeed.

Loud, really loud shout of _hell yes_ brought yuta and ten back to the reality, and ten flinched a little at the sudden scream.

"you're my hand savior!" hansol hugged johnny and they literally rolling together on the floor out of happiness. 

Ten, being the nice friend he was, ran forward to the boys and threw himself on top of johnny and hansol groaned at the sudden additional weight.

"help me.." hansol extended his hand to reach for yuta, being dramatic like he's going to die if yuta didn't save him from being squished.

"help you?" yuta asked back, tilting his head as he feigned a confused expression before a devilish grin crawled up his face, and hansol almost cried after seeing it, really.

Yuta surged forward and hastily dropped his weight on top of ten and hansol let out a strangled yell in satoori about how they should get off or else he's going to die in a young age but the kids only laughed in response.

Burger hugs are always fun.

 

* * *

 

A book covered his face as he slumped back in his chair, just about to step into his glorious dreamland.

Winwin swore if taeil wasn't going to show up in a few more seconds, he'll be dead sleeping and not going to give a single shit to his roommate even if taeil would throw him off the chair.

The cold air-conditioned library wasn't helping at all and winwin was so closed to fall asleep, to reach the paradise he called slumberland.

The chair next to him was pulled, creaking in the process and like winwin said, he wasn't going to give a single shit at this person who just wasted his 5 minutes of waiting. _5 minutes._

Winwin  _almost_ jolted up in rage (he's having a non-existent premenstrual symptom) when the person he assumed taeil took the book that'd been covering his face off him. 

Kun backed away a little when winwin shot him a sharp glare that almost shredded his soul to pieces. He laughed nervously when the look in winwin's eyes softened after he registered the situation, "you okay there?" kun took the seat beside winwin, regretting the choice of disturbing the younger's rest.

"yeah, just a little tired."

Kun lazily propped his head up in his hand as he gazed down at winwin, a soft smile tugged at his lips, "sorry. i won't do it again next time." he said softly, hand searching for winwin's and interlaced their fingers together. He brought their clasped hands to his lips and kissed the back of winwin's hand, their eyes locked and both reflected adoration in their gazes.

Winwin blushed, smiling at the older, "no, its okay," he rested his head on top of the table, facing kun, "doyoung suggested to have a movie night at his place tonight instead of going out to hangang. don't you think its about time for us to.. reveal? our relationship... you know."

Kun stayed silent for a moment, his expression was unreadable. He didn't look like he against the idea of meeting up with winwin's friends, but he didn't look like he's going to agree either, "i'm fine with that but tonight- tonight i can't."

Winwin banged his head onto the table, groaning in frustration. He yanked his hand out of kun's grasp, sulking, "seriously, what's your excuse this time?"

This wasn't the first time it happened. In winwin's eyes it looked like kun was avoiding to meet his friends, in winwin's eyes it looked like kun was ashamed of them. Ashamed of being in a relationship with him, being gay, and shit. It hurt a little too much when the last assumption ran through winwin's mind.

"sicheng..." kun sighed, he knew he screwed up again, "listen first." he took winwin's hand in his again, "i changed to night shift."

Winwin stayed still for a moment, his brain gears were starting to move; _night shift?_ night shift means extra pay and no sleep and kun had pack classes schedule and that's just crazy.

Kun was a part time barista in a starbucks in the downtown, near with ten's place. He had been a barista for so long; for almost 3 years living in south korea as a foreign student, and winwin gotta say that kun's life was a total hustle, thrilling even. Still young but had bills to settle, rent to settle, college fees to settle. Winwin, being the rich ass boyfriend, offered kun to cover his things up, to pay for everything to lessen kun's burden. He's willing to do it. After all, money exists to be wasted.

All kun needed to do was to say  _okay_ but he didn't. Kun didn't. Kun said _don't._ Don't waste money on him.Independent snobbish little prick winwin called him.

"why?" that's all winwin could muster, voice trailing off, unsure.

Kun smiled softly, finally getting the younger's attention to actually listen to his explanation, "extra pay? life is getting a little bit harder these days, and i need the money."

To see the love of your life struggled to find money when you, yourself can provide them the thing they couldn't afford, hurt so goddamn much, winwin didn't even realised he was tearing up.

"hey don't cry," kun engulfed the younger into a side hug, nose buried in winwin's soft hair, "don't worry i still can manage."

"but you don't look like you're still alive."

Kun laughed, retracting himself a little and shot the younger boy an exaggerated look of disbelief, "my heart still beating though?" he took winwin's hand and placed it on his chest, "see, fast and furious."

winwin threw a playful punch across kun's chest, and soon they broke into whispers laughter, the atmosphere lightened again.

"and tomorrow is my off day, if you and your friends are free tomorrow? why not we meet up?"

Winwin straightened up, face lit with pure excitement as he broke into a wide, adorable grin, "really??"

"yeah, of course. time to show off your hot boyfriend."

"you mean hot tofu?" winwin laughed at his own joke, earning a very attempted glare from kun but failed miserably when his lips were itching to crack a smile.

"its not me the one who said  _man he's hot_ and freaking ogled me shamelessly in this freaking library in front of your freaking friends," kun sneered, remembering that one moment when winwin openly fanboyed in front of his friends as if kun was his crush, "acting skills on fleek actually."

"oh well." winwin flipped his imaginary fabulous long hair, smug.

Kun rolled his eyes in a fake annoyance, snorting at his boyfriend's remark, "who are you waiting for though?"

"taeil hyung- oh there he is."

Kun whipped his head to the entrance door and saw the familiar face of winwin's roommate.

Taeil's eyes wander to find winwin and when he met with kun's gaze, taeil raised his eyebrows, surprised. He didn't expect to see kun was there. _I_ _sn_ _'t he sicheng's crush?_ taeil wondered as he walked to the table winwin's sitting.

"yes, i think i need to go now." kun stood up, slinging his bag over his shoulder before he walked away.

Winwin watched with disappointment written all over his face, his smile gone almost completely because in winwin's eyes, kun looked like he's _running._

"oh wait, i forgot something," kun mumbled gibberishly as he rushed back to winwin.

In a swift, kun lifted winwin's chin with his index finger and leaned down to press a chaste kiss on the younger's lips. A surprised squeal rumbled in winwin's throat and kun smiled at that, his lips lingered for awhile, "love you." kun murmured lowly, before he straightened up and said his last goodbye, dashing out from the library in a rush.

"love you too." winwin murmured, still stunned with what just happened.

"the fuck-" taeil gasped, the most expressive reaction winwin had ever witnessed, "what was that for?? he's actually your boyfriend??"

Winwin cleared his throat awkwardly, face flushed as he nodded.

Feeling flustered. _But satisfied._

 

* * *

 

Burger hug turned to a wrestle. Or wrestles.

Hansol and yuta was practically rolling violently on the floor, laughing, yelling, shrieking as they wrestled with passion (no, they still held back at some point and still following the play fighting concept).

Johnny and ten on the other hand, weren't. Literally wrestling like a man versus a man. But of course, johnny didn't use his full strength, because _well,_ too many reasons on that.

Ten, small or not, still a man, so when he bent johnny's leg in a painful angle, he ain't kidding.

Johnny screamed, high pitched and loud, and it pierced everybody's eardrums. His defensive mode was on and he yanked ten's hair as much as he could do with his still restrained strength, and ten yelped in surprise, but soon it changed to an extremely rush yell of thai when johnny scraped his nails against his scalp. Blunt nails or not, it still hurt.

Ten was practically clawing his nails against johnny's exposed tummy and it drew out a screech from the tall boy, and he reflexively, _accidentally_ , kneed ten in the face. In the face.

Ten let out a loud, almost inhumane growl as he dropped onto the floor beside johnny, curling up into a ball as he whimpered in pain. That one was really a strong blow. Ten dared to say its far more painful than yuta's punch.

To say johnny was panicked was a total understatement.

" _f_ _uck,_ " johnny cursed, frantically sat up. He took ten's hands off his face and examined the bruise on the younger's cheekbone that was slowly swelling up. It stung and hurt like a bitch. Ten never knew getting kneed in the face can get him feeling dizzy like this.

Ten blinked his eyes furiously as the tears continued to brim in his eyes and blurred his vision. It wasn't his intention to cry, he could say it was involuntary.

"ten, oh my god i'm," johnny couldn't find his chill anymore, "i'm so so _so_ sorry." he apologised desperately, hands trembled as he reached for ten's tiny ones.

Yuta and hansol crawled forward to their injured friend, and yuta pushed johnny aside, lowkey glaring at his friend.

Ten sat up, groaning as he rubbed his temple, the dizziness was still there. Hansol looked at him with wide-eyed expression and ten laughed a little, "guys don't be like this, its just a bruise, its okay i'm still alive."

"yes yes, say that to your boyfriend later." yuta said before he stood up, dragging hansol with him as they went to the kitchen to take a bowl of ice pack.

"hey," ten scooted closer to johnny, who's looking at him with a gleam of guilt in his eyes, "youngho its okay, really. yuta accidentally punched me when we wrestled, that's normal. it happens, you know."

Johnny just nodded in response, murmuring a low _sorry_ at which ten dismissed with a weak grin. Johnny honestly looked like a child who get scolded by his mom, all sulky and pouty. 

"but _god_ ," ten dropped his weight on johnny, forehead rested onto the older's shoulder, and he sighed wearily, "a very sharp knee you got right here."

Johnny had to clench his fists tightly to stop himself from hugging the thai boy because _that'd look weird._

 

* * *

 

"my whole life had been a lie!" doyoung exclaimed, tailing behind jaehyun who's walking around the kitchen, searching for something, "he's dating that qian kun guy! i cant believe him."

Jaehyun turned around with a knife in his hand, causing doyoung to  _shut up_ and took a step backward instinctively, "qian kun? same major with you isn't he?" jaehyun chuckled at doyoung's expression, walking to the sink and washed the knife.

"yeah, same major with me."

"i thought that boy is his crush though." taeyong butted in as he walked into the kitchen, settling onto one of the bar stool.

"i know right? i thought the same!" doyoung's eyes widened with exclamation, expression changed to a pure amusement as he let out a loud, repetition of  _woah._

"i'm a little bit minblowned." jaehyun said, wiping his hand.

"me t-"

Doyoung was cut off by the sudden interruption of familiar voices doing loud greetings came from their front door. Soon, the brats found their way walking into the kitchen, joining the 'kitchen party'.

Ten placed the plastic bag that filled with various type of beverages, chips and few bars of chocolates he bought just now from the nearest convenience store, on top of the kitchen counter, in front of taeyong. 

Jaehyun gasped exaggeratedly, shooting heart eyes at the amount of free snacks, "you don't need to..."

"ey why not," ten chuckled. He honestly liked to buy his friends food, because the way they react when he gave or bought them food, somehow made his heart jumping in joy. Adorable sight.

"thank you!" jaehyun just about to squish ten to death into a bone crushing hug when taeyong suddenly took ten by the waist, pulling the thai boy down to sit on his lap. 

Jaehyun rolled his eyes at this, offended, "okay okay, i get it."

johnny cleared his throat, catching everybody's attention, "so, what movie?"

 

 

Ten settled in between taeyong's legs as they sat on the floor, eyes glued on the tv screen. It was just 15 minutes into the movie and ten found himself was fighting with the urge to doze off. Taeyong felt so warm and cozy, which wasn't helping at all, and taeyong felt like a shield who's securely wrapped around him, making ten dropped his guards and just relax (and sleep). Ten leaned back, his head rested against taeyong's shoulder, eyelids growing heavier. 

Ten looked up and he almost laughed after he saw taeyong was very much _focusing_ on the movie. Taeyong was literally boring holes into the tv screen, eyes unfocused as he lost in his own bubble of thoughts, zoning out.

"back to earth, lee taeyong." ten cooed, patting the boy's cheek gently.

Taeyong was snapped out of his crap, a slight alarmed flickered across his face but was gone as fast as it came, "oh yes sorry, did you say something?"

"no, i'm just sleepy." ten mumbled lazily.

"then sleep," taeyong's arms tightened around ten as he slightly rocked the boy, nuzzling into the younger's hair affectionately.

ten sighed contentedly, almost falling into the trap but he didn't want to sleep, so he decided to tell taeyong a bedtime story, "something funny happened just now."

"what was it about?"

"hansol hyung," ten looked up again, chuckling as the scene came flashing into his mind, "his hand get stuck inside of this," ten picked up the pringles can, emphasizing the _this_ word, "and it was disaster."

Taeyong raised his eyebrows in amusement, breaking into a fit of laughter, "oh my, that was scary, and then who helped him?"

"johnny of course," ten said, bringing his legs up to his chest, "at first, i thought they're wrestling because they looked like that, but after i saw the red pringles can," he paused, laughing as the sound of hansol's screams ringing in his ears, "i knew someone's stuck and hansol was screaming for his dear life, and it was epic."

"i can imagine his face," taeyong laughed, burying his face into ten's shoulder, trying to suppress his volume as his body shook with laughter.

It spread across ten like a virus, causing the thai boy to laugh along, hushed as they tried to not bothering the others (not like the rest were paying attention on the movie but still), as both of them were having fun making fun of their hyung. Of course.

Hansol, who's curling up on the couch behind taeyong and ten, obviously going to take an action over this rude behavior of these little rascals. He, without hesitancy, launched a blow across taeyong's head with his gigantic hand, causing the boy to wince and stopped laughing even though the smack wasn't really that strong.

"hey!" ten turned around and protectively wrapped his arms around taeyong, "don't hit my baby."

Hansol rolled his eyes to the back of his head, and his eyes weren't small so it looked like hansol rolled his entire head and ten had to bite his lip to stifle his laugh, "don't hit my baby." hansol mimicked in the most annoying high pitched tone he could muster and ten was so closed to stick up his middle finger, but then yuta was there, looking at him with his creepiest resting bitch face and all ten could do was to do nothing. Not to make a scene was the greatest option at the moment because petty quarrel wasn't strategic to happen at someone's else place.

"i'm not going to replace your pringles."

"yeah okay." hansol said flatly, but the look he gave ten was a total irony; if ten didn't replace those silly chips he's so going to hell. Ten made a funny face in response, before he slowly slid back again into his comfort warmth.

Taeyong chuckled as he listened to ten's endless nonsense rants about how much he hated ji hansol and his obnoxious existence, "do you know why friends are so annoying?"

"why?"

"because when we love someone we'll annoy the shit out of them. its one way of showing affection?"

Ten laughed amusedly at taeyong's logic, didn't expect the boy to have such faith in him, "that's actually the most realistic thing i've ever heard so far."

"yeah, the most realistic thing coming from me- wait." taeyong straightened up a little, cupping ten's jaw in his hand as he examined the thing that made his words came to a halt.

Ten was panicking on the inside, he did apply a make up on the bruise with loud screeches in the process. He just had a natural sense of not wanting to get taeyong overly-worried about him.

"i-"

"who did this?" taeyong asked, barely a whisper but his tone was stern, demanding for an honest answer.

"i fell." ten chuckled nervously, averting his gaze from taeyong's eyes.

"lie," taeyong frowned a little, unhappy with the lame answer, "just tell me who did it." 

"johnny."

Taeyong tensed, froze on his spot for a few seconds as he let the familiar name registered inside of his brain. His protective sense kicked in hard, so hard it changed something in taeyong's gaze that made ten recoiled, deadly wished he had a shell. If just now he felt so secure with being held in taeyong's arms, now he felt a little bit scared, intimidated. Sensing this, taeyong's face softened, a slight guilt ate his heart, "hey, i'm not mad with you," he sighed, "just, what happened actually?"

"we wrestled, and... i get kneed. by accident."

"wha- get kneed?!" taeyong almost lost his shit, trying his best not to make a scene, "get kneed in the face??"

"yeah..."

A deep frown encased taeyong's features, even the word wrestled sounded so irritating in his ears. The previous protective feeling changed to something more intense as he felt the _jealousy_ slowly crept into him. Taeyong turned his head around to find the culprit and when his eyes met with johnny's, he swore he almost had the sudden urge to lunge toward johnny. Taeyong balled his fists, nails digging into his palm, when johnny just casually looked away, as if there's nothing happened. Like nothing's wrong. And it's not taeyong's fault when he felt _so_  provoked. 

Ten gulped as he was trapped under taeyong's wrath, shrinking helplessly even though taeyong wasn't exactly mad at him. Ten hesitantly took taeyong's hand and gently unballed his fist, "taeyong, its okay really." ten looked down as he fiddled with taeyong's fingers absentmindedly, didn't dare to look up.

Taeyong sighed exasperatedly, not liking the way the bad thoughts swirling in his mind, "did it hurt?" 

Ten shook his head, looking exactly like a child who's getting scolded by his dad, "tolerable."

"don't wrestle with him again next time," taeyong gently brushed the hair out of ten's eyes, looking down at the younger with concern yet possessive gaze, "sometimes he doesn't know his limits."

 

* * *

 

He pushed the door opened and the sound of jingling bells echoed throughout the coffee shop.

The pleasent aroma of coffee poked his nostril, bringing a wave of calm to the chinese boy.

It wasn't crowded at that night, but wasn't too quiet either. Just nice.

Winwin went to the counter, grinning as he walked to the cashier who's reflecting his grin, dimples flashed so beautifully.

"yes, can i take your order?" kun asked professionally, as a cashier to his customer, even though there's a lilt of mischievous in his tone.

"green latte, please." winwin told, handing the kun the money for his drink.

Kun punched down the codes to the screen cash machine, "name?" he grabbed the cup and marker, waiting for winwin to tell his his  _name._

"kun's." winwin said nochalantly, totally enjoying the violent blush dusting over kun's cheeks.

"nice name."

"thank you," winwin chuckled, "uhm by the way, i want to ask something...?"

"yes, what is it?"

"any open vacancies here?"

Kun looked at him wide-eyed, like he was crazy.

Winwin grinned widely, wiggling his eyebrows. He's crazy, indeed.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ಠ_ಠ


	18. The Shield

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warnings : indecent assault, minor violence
> 
> the urge to apology bcs of what and where this chapter/story is going is high rn

Wasted hard.

Johnny stumbled his way into the elevator, slumping himself against the metal wall. He ran his hand across his hair, sighing exasperatedly as he tried to focus on which floor number he should pressed.

8th floor. He jabbed the 8th floor button.

He lost his balance when the lift jerked up and johnny fell on his butt, hand gripping on the nearest rail. He grumbled incoherent slurs every now and then, accompanied with unnecessary groan until the door opened as it arrived at the 8th floor.

Johnny crawled out from there, struggling so much to stand up straight as he felt the dizziness was overpowering him. He eventually managed it though, stumbling his way to ten's dorm.

The dorm of the two foreigners' was dark and quiet when johnny got inside, not like he's minding it nor he actually _noticed_ it.

Crashes and heavy thuds echoed throughout the place as johnny dragged his feet to ten's room, accidentally kicked on things that were getting on his way.

With struggles, johnny swung the bedroom's door open, "tennie~" he singsonged, giggling as he stumbled his way to ten, who's curling up into a ball in his bottom bunk, completely ignoring the fact that yuta was there too in the room, sleeping on the top bunk, "tennie baby," he called once more, slowly approaching the thai male who stirred at the sudden noise but he didn't fully wake up, if anything he pulled the blanket over his head, curling like a cat. Yuta on the other hand, was sleeping like a log.

Johnny messily crawled into the bed, and the bed dipped, creaked even as his weight burdened the bed, _"baby,"_ johnny hastily pulled the blanket off ten in one forceful pull, throwing the blanket to wherever it'd land. 

Ten's eyes shot opened, looking at johnny with absolute horror. His heart raced in surprise and soon after, followed with fear as he saw the look in johnny's eyes. It _wasn't_ johnny. Wasn't the normal youngho he saw in normal days.

Johnny was so _so_ drunk that he couldn't think straight anymore, he completely lost it and now he didn't hold back in  _anything._  Johnny pinned ten's hands over his head and ten wriggled aggressively but it didn't effect anything because johnny's grip was strong, firm, looking down at the thai boy with desperation and hurt gleamed in his eyes. He leaned down and hummed appreciatively, loving how he fitted almost perfectly in the crook of ten's neck.

Those wild things johnny had been fantasized with ten, now came flashing into his mind, making the tall boy tightened his hold around ten's wrist. He nosed ten's neck, filling his lungs with the thai boy's sweet scent, "i love you so much," he mumbled lowly, barely a whisper as he peppered sloppy wet kisses on ten's collarbone up to his neck, _"so fucking much."_

Ten tensed underneath johnny, tears brimmed in his eyes when he felt johnny's hand slipped up his shirt, roaming everywhere on his bare skin, "johnny,  _don't."_ he choked a sob, legs kicking all over the place as he tried to stop johnny but it was useless. Ten screamed, asking for a help from the boy who's deadly sleeping on the top bunk but there's no response.

Ten wriggled and tried to yank his hands out of johnny's almost hurtful grasp but johnny's grip didn't loosen even a slightest bit. If anything, it get _tightened._ Ten sobbed, feeling so helpless as he wasn't able to defend himself. Johnny was _too_ strong.

 Johnny spread ten's legs wide apart and he settled in between the younger, pressing his weight on top of ten to make him stop moving.

Ten screamed the loudest he could muster, screaming for his dear life and it managed to startle the japanese boy awake, making yuta sat bolt upright, alarmed with the very sudden, piercing scream. It took him a few seconds for his gears to start moving and registered what's happening and when it did, his eyes widened in pure shock.

Yuta didn't waste any time and just jumped off from his top bunk after he saw what's happening. With all his might, all his strength, he pulled johnny by the collar and threw him across the room. The tall boy landed onto the floor with a painful thud, groaning in pain.

A _very_ harsh slap came across johnny's cheek, and it was enough to make johnny passed out on the spot.

Yuta wasn't kidding when he slapped johnny, his fists clenched with rage and if not because of the sound of ten weakly sobbing at the back, yuta was sure he would beat johnny to a pulp without any hesitancy and the need to be _sane._

"you okay? did he do anything?" yuta asked, worried. His eyes scanned all over ten's frame, before he engulfed the broken boy into a comforting hug, rubbing ten's back gently every now and then as he felt the younger was shaking with fear, fingers clutched desperately for comfort into yuta's shirt.

"let's go, we can't stay here for now." yuta said, leading ten out of their dorm after the younger nodded passively at his suggestion.

 

* * *

 

Hansol was so so disappointed with johnny after yuta told him what happened. Drunk, yes, but still. It had gone too far in his opinion.

Yuta and hansol didn't ask much, being completely understanding with ten's situation who wasn't ready to talk to anyone. _Traumatized._

Ten was sitting on the couch, hugging his legs to his chest as he buried his face in his knees, curling up in a sitting position. He stayed like that, quiet without any noise for a few minutes long. He was doing his best to focus on thinking about what's with all these crap happening at him tonight, trying his best to focus to connect the dots and trying his hardest to refrain himself from actually breaking down.

Ten felt so violated, humiliated with no definable reasons, and that was the first time he felt so vulnerable and fragile, as if he could be broken terribly just by a little snap of someone's fingers. Sure, yuta and hansol were there, sitting close with him to make sure everything was fine and he knew, by having them by his side now meant there's nothing harmful would happen to him, just as long as they're there and ten knew he's fine. He'd be fine.

But he _didn't_ feel like that. He didn't feel secure as in perfectly secure to feel calmed enough to let all his guards down and relaxed. Ten couldn't do it. There's something, _someone's_ missing.

With shaky hands, ten dialed taeyong's number. His hand trembled slightly as he placed it on his ear, heartbeat gradually increasing just in sync with the beeping sound from the other line as he waited for taeyong to pick up the call. It was around 2:30AM and ten didn't check the time when he's calling.

His throat tightened almost painfully, the whimper was tickling his throat and ten gripped on his phone tighter, almost giving up when taeyong didn't answer his call.

_"hello?"_

Tears rushed to ten's eyes the moment he heard taeyong's voice, his vision became blurry, salty drops threatening to roll down his cheeks. Ten still didn't say anything, biting his lip hard until it bled, in attempt to suppress his sob that was so closed to spill out of his mouth.

"t-taeyong.." he choked out, voice shaking, cracking at the end. Ten finally broke down as he felt the emotions were becoming unbearable, wailing into the phone as he cried uncontrollably.

 

* * *

 

Taeyong ran all the way from his dorm to ten's place and it was fucking 3 in the morning. Not because ten asked him to come, but because taeyong felt he just simply  _had_ to. Taeyong was just in his sweatpants and oversize t-shirt, wallet and phone were left behind at his dorm.

When he arrived in front of ten's dorm, he was a literal huge mess. Taeyong placed his hands on his knees, regained his breath for a moment and tried to calm his nerves before he pressed the doorbell. It was a few seconds after that and nobody opened the door and taeyong started cursing as he jabbed the doorbell button violently, worries, so much worries and concern consumed him.

Taeyong dashed inside once the door was opened, accidentally pushing hansol aside almost harshly but none of them cared about that at the moment. He instinctively rushed to ten's room, and the first thing greeted his sight once he's inside was a boy sitting on the edge of the bed, hugging his chest, chin rested on top of his knees, eyes closed.

Taeyong kneeled on one knee in front of ten, who still didn't budge from his position, "ten," he called softly and ten's eyes shot opened. A slight terrify flickered across ten's face before it changed to something else as his lip started to quiver.

Ten crashed himself to taeyong and hugged him tightly like his life was depending on it. Taeyong was internally panicking when he felt ten was trembling, shaking fearfully as ten cried his eyes out, his whimpers muffled against taeyong's shoulder.

Taeyong still didn't know what's happening but it must be so bad until ten became like this, "ten, what happened??" he asked, retracting himself a little to look at ten and his heart broke _so much_ after he clearly saw ten's condition.

Ten's nose and face flushed red, eyes swollen with tears that seemed like it wouldn't stop anytime soon. Ten let it all out, he _let_ taeyong saw him like this, he let taeyong saw him in his weakest state because ten couldnt find the reason to calm down, "something happened and i...i-m scared," ten gasped for air, crying so hard it became hard to control his breathing. His lungs hurt, burning even.

Taeyong stayed silent, not moving from his spot. His eyes roamed intently on ten's face and to see his lover looking so broken like a shattered glasses made taeyong teared up as he felt the emotion was getting the best of him, "why are you scared? who made you like this?" taeyong asked, wiping ten's tears with his thumb.

Ten shook his head as a sign that he didn't want to tell, at least  _not now_.

Taeyong knew its really bad to force it out of ten right now, but the curiosity was killing his patience and the growing worries weren't helping either. Taeyong thought maybe asking from yuta and hansol about what happened would help him finding an answer that he silently demanded.

taeyong slowly stood up, ready to turn around to leave the room but a weak tug on his shirt stopped taeyong dead on his track.

"taeyong, please don't leave me alone."

The small, croaky voice begged almost brokenly and it made taeyong's heart ached so much that his tears started to brim in his eyes again.

Taeyong sighed, sitting beside ten and wrapped his arms around the younger, "don't worry i'm not going anywhere." he cooed, burying his nose into ten's hair.

Ten nestled into taeyong's chest and he slowly relaxed as he's surrounded by the familiar calming scent of taeyong's. The inviting warmth was hugging him so comfortably and it honestly felt like home; secure and shielded, and this was the thing he needed since just now.

"thank you," ten mumbled into taeyong's chest, body jerking as he hiccuped every now and then, "thank you for showing up when i need you the most."

Taeyong smiled as he nuzzled ten's hair, he honestly felt nice because it felt like he had done something so right, "my job." 

Ten rested his chin on taeyong's chest as he looked up at the older through his puffy, bloodshot eyes, "i'll tell you everything tomorrow."

Taeyong hummed in response, brushing ten's hair back from forehead and leaned in to place a soft peck on the younger's forehead, "now, lets sleep?"

"okay."

Taeyong laid down on his back and watched as ten slowly crawled to him, carefully latched his body with taeyong's. Half of ten's body was draped on top of taeyong's, face buried in the crook of taeyong's neck, sighing wearily as ten felt his eyelids were growing heavier.

Taeyong chuckled, stroking ten's hair affectionately, "goodnight ten."

"goodnight taeyong," ten mumbled sleepily, "but can you sing me a lullaby?"

"lullaby?"

"yeah."

Taeyong cleared his throat before he started, "twinkle twinkle little star, how i wonder what you are," taeyong patted ten's butt, soft repetitive pats as he sang the lullaby quietly.

Ten snuggled deeper into the inviting warmth taeyong's neck provided, slowly stepping into the sweet and securable bubble taeyong created, eyes closed as he let taeyong's soothing, soft voice lulled him to sleep.

"....he could not see which way to go, If you did not twinkle so," taeyong smiled fondly when he saw ten finally fell asleep, "twinkle twinkle little star, how i wonder what you are." taeyong finished it with a small peck on ten's head. He carefully rolled them so they're lying on their sides and ten stirred slightly, frowning in his half asleep state, a soft whine rumbled in his throat. 

Taeyong pulled the blanket and covered them both, the fluffy blanket fell over their shoulders. Taeyong smiled softly when ten scooted closer, his hands rested against taeyong's chest as he snuggled into the older's neck. Taeyong continued his little pats, patting ten's back gently until the thai boy completely fell asleep.

Taeyong was sleepy but he couldn't sleep for whatever weird reason it was. He devoured the peaceful moment, mind racing with thoughts and assumptions about what's actually happening to ten, "i'm going to kill whoever made you like this." taeyong frowned as he said it, voice hushed, barely a whisper. He heaved a sigh,  wrapping his limbs around ten's petite frame and closed his eyes, willing his worries to go away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my heart shattered into million trillion zillion pieces while writing this chapter. gdi it'll get even more extreme (low expectations pls tyvm ilyall) for the next and next i think i'll end up bawling while writing bcs i'm nothing but a sponge and i love johnten so much which is crazy like where's the justice aT


	19. Betrayed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "and don't you ever find me again."

Johnny sat on the floor, facing ten who's sleeping on hansol's bed. He propped his elbow on his knee, chin placed in his palm as he stared at the thai boy. Johnny didn't know what happened but yuta and hansol were practically ignoring him this morning when he came back to the dorm which was weird. And johnny didn't know why he had a sudden urge to apologise to ten the moment he saw the younger. He really didn't know why. He couldn't remember anything that was happening yesterday night, but it must be bad, like _really bad_  because his hangover was pretty extreme just now, and also, there's a cut on the corner of his lip and his cheek kinda stung a little.

Johnny eyed taeyong whose back was pressed against the wall, legs trapping ten in him. Johnny sighed exasperatedly, sticking his index finger out to poke on ten's cheek, "wake up wake up." he poked and poked, gentle move but firm tone.

Ten groaned, still sleepy. Without opening his eyes, he pulled the blanket, covering himself from head to toe as he curled up into a ball.

Johnny sighed again, slowly stood up and grabbed a handful of the blanket before he pulled it off ten, "dude its noon, wake up!"

Its like the scene was on rewind, making ten's eyes flew opened at the familiar voice, the sudden surge of fear ran through his veins the moment he locked gaze with johnny. Ten sat bolt upright, scrambled backward until his back touched the headboard, muscles tensing and his breath fastened. _He's scared._

Johnny was taken aback at this, he had never seen ten looked so scared especially with him, and a weird feeling of guilt washed through him.

A whimper, a broken desperate whimper rumbled in ten's throat when johnny came closer. He choked out a  _"dont."_ and it was too soft, it couldn't reach johnny's sense of hearing.

Ten's wail tickled his throat, almost rolling out of his mouth. His movements woke taeyong up, and the older sat up almost immediately. Taeyong acted by his instinct, firstly sending a sharp glare to johnny, who gave him a nonchalant shrug in return.

Johnny extended his hand out with an intention to ruffle ten's hair, as he always made it out of habit as their greeting. Before his hand could even made a contact with ten's raven locks, ten squirmed his way to taeyong and clung on him desperately, his back faced johnny, "t-taeyong i'm s-scared." 

Taeyong frowned tightly as he looked at johnny who's looking back at him with a confused yet surprised expression. Taeyong protective sense kicked in and he securely wrapped his arms around ten who's visibly trembling with fear, "baby, its just youngho," taeyong whispered, silently coaxing ten that  _its just johnny_ so it's okay, there's nothing to feel scared about.

Ten reluctantly turned his head around just to see johnny flashed him a very awkward smile as he waved stiffly at ten, seemingly affected by ten's weird behavior.

Ten stiffened, eyes widening when johnny strode forward and plopped himself casually on the bed, very much oblivious of what he had done. 

"why are you looking at me like i'm a monster though?" johnny asked, trying his best to not sounded so hurtful. Its weird, strange when ten behaving like this out of a sudden. Somewhere in the back of his head said its because of him.

Ten was literally straddling taeyong as his face faced the headboard, arms wrapped around taeyong's neck in a grip that said he wouldn't let go in anytime soon, not like taeyong mind that. Not at all, but of course, the drastic change of ten's behavior really did invite curiosity to taeyong.

A very small, soft whimper escaped ten's mouth when johnny poked his back, and maybe only taeyong could hear it considering their proximity. Taeyong acted by instinct again, swatting johnny's hand away, clicking his tongue as he felt somewhat annoyed, "stop it, you're scaring him."

"what? i didn't do anything?"

Taeyong didn't know why and from where it came but it felt like his non existent alpha protective instinct was triggered, making him wanted to comfort and protect ten with all his might, "but you _are_ scaring him. can't you see?"

And its true, johnny was scaring the hell out of ten. He was still traumatized and it got worst when johnny's drunk confession from the last night spun in ten's mind, again and again like a tape on a rewind. And it's somehow was too much for ten to bear it all in one time. He's stuck in between feeling bad because he knew he's going to break johnny's heart intentionally or not, and between feeling scared, endangered; afraid if johnny would lost control again like last night and-

Ten's sniffles caught both of the guys' attention; johnny's head snapped to ten, looking at him with a gleam of worry and _sorry_ that he didn't know was there, in his eyes.

Taeyong panicked. He didn't know what's going on and what's the reason behind all these but to see ten like this really made him panicked, "hey, hey don't cry," taeyong brushed ten's fringe out of his eyes, his doe eyes locked with ten's glossy ones and taeyong swore his stomach churned painfully bad at the way ten was looking at him. Ten looked so broken and its crazy how taeyong _really_  wanted to kill the person who turned his cheery little boy to  _this._

"i'm scared," ten croaked out, repeating those two words again, and again everytime taeyong was asking for a clear explanation. Its really not easy to spill it out of him, it felt heavy in his throat, hesitating to let them out. It'd risk their friendship, and ten was starting to get worry with where this would be going.

"what are you scared for?" taeyong asked, trying to dig it out of the younger. His curiosity spiked, patience ruining thin but his features remained gentle, didn't want to scare ten even further.

Ten didn't answer verbally, he instead turned his head slowly to johnny's direction, and taeyong followed the subtle guide. The two boys ended up meeting eyes with johnny's.

Then, a tense silence followed, filling the room.

Taeyong didn't know how to comprehend this little hint. Scared he'd make a wrong guess. He's not even sure what were his guesses in the first place but a slight anger that came from his overprotectiveness was slowly, very slowly rising in him, his subconscious mind was doing its job in handling his emotions.

"uh," johnny's eyes darted everywhere, feeling extremely uncomfortable under the stares and attention he got from the two males, "i think i'm going to take a shower." 

And taeyong watched with hawk eyes as his bestfriend fled out of the room.

Johnny on the other hand was confident that he had _nothing to do_ with ten's sudden change of behavior, that he didn't do _anything_ harmful to ten even though he was drunk yesterday. He's confident with that. 

 

* * *

 

Taeyong followed ten, tailing behind the younger like a lost puppy. 

They stepped inside ten's dorm and taeyong was getting more and more inpatient and he thought he'd had enough with all these push and pull bullshit.

Taeyong grabbed ten's arm and whirled him around, eyes hardened, "tell me _now_." it came out low, harsher than he intended to and it startled ten so much, eyes widening at the sudden, unexpected outburst.

Taeyong, sensing the terrified look in ten's eyes cleared his throat awkwardly, mentally yelling at himself for getting carried away by his feeling, "i'm sorry, i'm just.. worried, okay?" he sighed, dragging ten to the couch.

They sat on the couch, facing each other. Ten set his gaze on his lap, couldn't bring himself to meet taeyong's eyes. 

Taeyong maybe wasn't the most patient person in the world, but he'd been called the king of coaxing, as irony as it was. He's good with soft, gentle talks. Taeyong wasn't a soft spoken person for nothing.

Taeyong reached for the younger's hands, a small smile stretched across his lips, "ten," he called, hand reaching up to ten's face, gently lifted ten's chin with his index finger, "just tell me."

Ten remained mute, unmoving as his eyes pierced straight into taeyong's soul.

"tell me what happened," taeyong tried again, his voice came out soothing, soft and it really made ten wanted to blurt everything out.

Taeyong scooted closer and their knees met, his fingers fiddled with ten's restlessly as he locked eyes with the younger, "like why were you so scared and tensed? especially when johnny was around just now?"

No response.

"does it have anything to do with him?" taeyong circled his thumb in the back of ten's hand in a comforting manner, a small weary sigh left his lips. Taeyong didn't know it was this hard to break ten's walls.

Its not like ten didn't want to tell taeyong straight away, but the consequences he could imagine in his mind if taeyong knew about it, was totally horrifying.

"baby, please tell me." taeyong pleaded, almost desperately.

Ten inhaled shakily, "johnny." he only said that but it was enough to make taeyong's heart raced with anxiety, not ready to face the painful truth.

"keep going," taeyong let ten clutched on his hands, claiming for a support.

"yesterday," ten paused, hesitance written all over his face, "yesterday, he was drunk and then... and then he barged inside of my room when i was sleeping," ten's voice cracked, finding himself struggled to hold back his tears.

Taeyong stiffened. 

"he drunk confessed me," ten continued, sniffling, "and he... he.."

"he what? what did johnny do to you??" taeyong urged ten to tell him more even of he wasn't ready for it.

"he indecently assaulted me," ten covered his face his hands as he started to sob again, "i know he's really drunk he couldn't think straight b-but, it was so scary." 

It took a whole minute for taeyong's brain to register the information, to eventually calmed down from something he could call a panic attack, and when it did, his expression _hardened,_ jaw clenching involuntary. Suddenly, the inevitable anger flickered in him, growing almost uncontrollable as the seconds passed.

Taeyong didn't think much when he stormed out from the dorm, ignoring ten's attempt in stopping him. This time it had gone _too_ far. Johnny had gone too far, and nobody could stop him.

Taeyong rushed to johnny's dorm, using the staircase as he felt impatient to confront the asshole, to vent things out. Every steps felt like his building rage grew scarily out of control.

Johnny's front door wasn't closed at that time and taeyong barged in without any greeting except for the loud bang he made from kicking the door, resulting to the doorknob slamming against the wall and it bounced back due to the great force.

Johnny who's sitting at the dining table, flinched at the sudden loud noise. His eyes widened with terror at what had welcomed his sight, he couldn't even bring himself to utter a word when taeyong lunged forward, grabbing him by the collar and slammed the tall boy against the nearest wall without holding back anything in him, knocking the air out of johnny's lungs.

"tae-"

Taeyong cut johnny off with the first, very strong blow across his cheekbone, drawing a strangled groan from the tall boy,  _"i fucking trust you."_ taeyong snarled, a lilt of hurt was obvious in his voice.

Blood trickled down from johnny's nose after the second blow, and he felt like he's going to pass out if taeyong continued - that's how strong taeyong's punches were, as taeyong  _really_ was losing his rationality.

Taeyong just about to throw the third blow when someone roughly yanked him away, holding him back firmly, "are you crazy??" hansol shouted, as he tried to stop taeyong from continue attacking johnny.

"i trust you with all my life," furious tears brimmed in taeyong's eyes as he growled out the words, wriggling violently in hansol's arms, "and this is what i get??" he yelled in johnny's face and the taller guy just gave taeyong a puzzled look.

Johnny panted heavily, after effect from the sudden attack, "i don't know what you're talking about," johnny raised his voice slightly, he could feel the unexpected anger was rising slowly inside of him. Who wouldn't be mad when they get beaten up so suddenly like this? Johnny didn't even know the reason behind all these, "you're talking nonsense taeyong!"

 _"son of a bitch,"_ taeyong snarled, teeth gritting with rage. He wriggled harder, strong enough to break free from hansol's grip. Anger did make people stronger somehow.

Taeyong lunged forward again, grabbing johnny's collar and was about to punch the boy's face but this time, johnny was faster. The taller boy pried taeyong off and pushed the other hard enough for taeyong to fall onto the floor with a painful thud. Out of uncontrollable anger, johnny fisted taeyong's shirt and gave one strong blow across taeyong's face, and it was _enough_ to make taeyong growled loudly in pain, blood oozed and paint his gum.

"fuck youngho stop it!" hansol screamed at the top of his lungs, pushing johnny off of taeyong with all his might which made johnny hissed in reaction, "fucking get back to your senses assholes!" hansol's chest was heaving as he spurted out those words.

SIlence came filling into the space, and the only thing that could be heard was their pants.

"don't you dare to ever meet ten again." taeyong warned, breaking the cold, harsh silence.

Johnny frowned in response.

_"and don't ever find me again."_

 

* * *

 

Johnny was panicking.

"i swear to god i was drunk as fuck, i swear i didn't know what i was doing!" johnny defend himself, almost slurring his words as he was in an uncontrollable tears due to his panicking state.

Johnny already knew everything. Hansol had tell him what really happened since the younger begged him for it. After all, johnny  _must_  know what he has done.

Hansol sighed, he really didn't know what to say about this.

"sol, i was really really drunk oh my god," johnny choked a sob, he's  _really_  disappointed of himself.

Hansol shook his head, sighing as he looked at his friend's horrible state, "i believe that you were really drunk johnny, but this time, you really had crossed the line."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tbh hoping people still would be reading this crap. if you are, please let me know by dropping a comment ;) and for those who's staying, thank you very much.


	20. "Please, forgive me."

Taeil just stared at the tall boy infront of him, who looked really broken.

A little frown was visible on taeil's face as thoughts were running frantically inside of his mind, "why...?" taeil asked, "i thought you've moved on?" there's a tiny bit of sadness from the way taeil said it. It just screamed dissapointment and it made johnny's heart broke a little bit more than it already had.

"i don't know," johnny muttered, feeling hopeless, "i don't know what i was doing." he said, staring into spaces.

Taeil sighed. If not because of johnny calling him and kept on saying  _"taeil, i'm screwed, i've fucked up"_ for serveral times, he wouldn't be there, ended up in johnny's dorm and trying to untangle things up. Well of course, he was there out of concern and worry toward the younger. He cared.  _Taeil cared._

Taeil stayed quiet, choosing to be silent.

The older boy swept johnny's fringe out of the younger's forehead gently as to examine what's the damage taeyong had done on that pretty face. He hissed as soon as he saw the growing bruises and, few cuts, here and there.

Taeil opened the first aid kit, doing whatever he knew to treat the injured boy.

"you have to aplologize to him," taeil started, jabbing the cotton wool gently on the cut at the end of johnny's lips, "in whatever ways."

"i know," johnny hissed a little at the stinging pain, "but taeyong has warned me and if i still go after them the situation will get worse-"

"and then? you're just gonna stay here and not apologizing for being a dick? until when?" taeil snapped.

Johnny stayed silent.

And taeil regretted every single word that just came out from his mouth.

He couldn't help it when the dissapointment took over him.

 

* * *

 

Friday night. Routine went on.

"ahhh, i miss hanging out with all the boys," doyoung sighed as he looked up to the sky, eyes gazing through the stars. The weather was just so perfect for chilling out. He honestly missed everyone in the squad, missing the chaos the brats always made.

"yeah, it's been so long since we hung out with them all," yuta said, couldn't help but sighed because he knew that things were going out of places at the moment, "but well, life wouldn't be smooth all the time, right?" he smiled bitterly.

"yeah," jaehyun nodded as he stared into the flowy hangang river, awared with what was happening within the circle, "i don't know man but i don't think its anybody's fault. I honestly understand why johnny became like that, i mean he had all those frustrated and pent up feelings, for sure he would lose it at some points, but then i also understand why taeyong was so fucking mad to the point he'd beaten up his bestfriend... i would be doing the same if it happened to my boyfriend. well, you know, i'm not taking a side on anyone." jaehyun spoke up.

"i get your point," hansol agreed, "its like... its not johnny's fault yet its his fault and taeyong shouldn't be like that yet he should."

"yeah, but honestly though, youngho was really really.." jaehyun paused, "too far for doing that to ten."

Doyoung hummed in response, agreed with jaehyun's statement.

"really hope things will go well soon," hansol shrugged, "i miss hanging out with them all."

"me too." jaehyun said as he finished his coke.

Silence lingered around the space as the four young males were minding their own business, listening to their own thoughts instead of voicing it out. However, the peaceful silence were interrupted by the heavy footsteps that were coming their way, as the person approached them.

Doyoung turned his head around as the footsteps noise caught his attention, "oh hey there buddy, thought you weren't coming." he smiled to the boy who just arrived.

Winwin waved as he came closer. The chinese boy wore a tired smile, still in his starbucks uniform and a backpack hung on his back. Seemed like the boy just got back from work.

"how's your day at work dude?" yuta asked, interested with winwin's story because he heard the boy went to work because of his boyfriend but he never asked any further about that issue. He didn't really know the story.

"tiring," winwin whined, "and i'm so hungry!"

Jaehyun chuckled, already expecting that, "then, lets go get something to eat."

They stood up, heading to the convenience store to find something nice to eat. Continuing the night without the other four with them.

 

* * *

 

Ten had his fluffy blanket wrapped around him as the thai boy curled up into a ball, treasuring the peaceful and comfortable moment. He's now getting better and even considering to forgive his bestfriend.  _Almost there._

But his bubble of peace was popped when the bed dipped slightly as the person slowly crawled into the bed, with a mug of hot chocolate in his hand. Taeyong smiled fondly at the sight after him, "baby," he called, signaling ten to sit up and take the hot chocolate.

Ten turned around to face his boyfriend, grinning when he saw taeyong made him his favorite hot chocolate. The thai boy sat up and leaned against the headboard, hand reaching out to take the drink, "thank you taeyong,"

"your welcome," the older scooted closer, "how are you feeling? any better?"

Ten sipped the hot chocolate slowly, slurping as he did so, "yeah better."

"sure?"

"yes i'm all good." ten grinned widely, wanting to reassure taeyong that he's all fine and good. Honestly, not really  _that_ good.

"good to know," taeyong pursed his lips into a thin line, not believing the younger because he knew the boy too well for ten to fool him.

They let themselves get into the comfortable silence, both set their gazes on the television in front of them, not really paying attention to the show on the screen.

"i think.." ten broke the silence, stopping midway to sip on his hot drink, "i want to hang out with the boys next friday, its been so long don't you think?"

Taeyong hummed in agreement, but didn't say anything afterward.

Ten turned his head and faced taeyong, weird that the older didn't give an answer as response, "you don't want?"

"no, its not that," taeyong sighed, eyes meeting with ten's. Its not that he didn't want but he's worried if ten still wasn't okay by the time and the kids would be asking ten questions that might get the younger feel uncomfortable-

Taeyong shook his head subtly at the thought, he knew his friends weren't as insensitive as that, "well if you are really okay by that time, why not?" 

Ten smiled, flashing his signature megawatt smile and of course, taeyong couldn't say no to that smile.

Taeyong just deeply wished johnny wouldn't be there.

 

* * *

 

"there's one thing you must know taeyong."

"what is it?"

Taeil sighed exasperatedly, contemplating if he should tell taeyong or not. He knew it wasn't his place to tell this to taeyong but he couldn't bring himself to let johnny live in guilt every single day. It pained him.

"johnny's truly sorry with what he did to ten, you know," taeil said, eyes emptily stared at the bunch of people on the outside of the convenience store, as the two young boys sat on the high stools, facing the glassy wall. It just happened that taeil bumped into taeyong when he was on his way to johnny's place to give the younger a visit.

Taeyong listened. His expression remained unreadable. Calm as always.

"he's sorry with you too," taeil continued when he got no response from the other, "he kept on telling me everyday on how he would go to you guys and apologize once he thinks its the right time to do so."

Taeyong still didn't say anything, just listened intently. Unconsciously biting on the straw of his drink as it was one of his habit.

"he might even drop down to his knees to beg for apology," taeil unwrapped his onigiri and took a bite of it. It was silence as the older took a moment to continue, "yeah, to that extent. because he felt like.. he had betrayed the friendship."

Taeyong's expression didn't change a slightest bit.

"i'm not trying to be nosy and stick my nose into you guys' business but i'm just.." he stopped halfway to take a gulp of his mineral water, "feel like doing this.. telling you these."

Taeyong nodded. He understood that taeil doing these out of his brotherly instinct. He's just worried and concerned about them.

"i know its not easy to forgive him, but forgiving will make your heart be at peace."

It took a moment before taeyong started talking, "i've known youngho for so long.." taeyong said, a lilt of sadness laced with his tone, "we've done everything together, doing good and bad things together, going through ups and downs.." he paused for a second, "i've known him for so long that deep down there, i didn't believe that this is happening."

Taeil's expression softened. He never saw taeyong looked so dissapointed and sad before. He didn't know taeyong valued their friendship this much.

"its not easy hyung," a small frown encased taeyong's features, "not easy to forgive him but then, he's my bestfriend. he's our bestfriend."

"i understand." taeil gave taeyong a squeeze on the younger's shoulder, giving the boy a little comfort.

"we just need some time."

Taeil nodded.

 

* * *

 

Johnny had taeil came to his place everyday. It had become a routine for the two of them, having the presence of each other nearby, and johnny enjoyed the comfort that taeil brought with him.

It helped johnny a lot in his current situation.

"this guy," taeil shook his head when he saw a familiar sweater on the floor instead of inside the basket laundry, and it blocked taeil's way to the living room.

It's hansol's sweater.

"he's never changed." taeil sighed, muttering under his breath but johnny caught that.

The chicago boy who's sitting on the couch couldn't help but raised his eyebrow upon this, slightly taken aback at taeil's unexpected remark, "well, what was _that_ for?"

Taeil plopped onto the couch, his expression copied johnny's, didn't find anything wrong with what he just said, "what?"

 _"he's never changed?_ huh, what was that?"

"oh," taeil scrunched up, doing this funny face as he couldn't find it why johnny was interested in that, "it means he's never changed? he's been like this since in school. always pile up his clothes." taeil shrugged his shoulders, telling that it didn't really matter. It just a thing that crossed over taeil's mind, that's all.

"something fishy..." johnny squinted his eyes at the older, eyeing him suspiciously.

"what?? you think i still haven't move on from that brat?" taeil looked at johnny, eyes widening in horror. He wouldn't want anyone to have that king of funny thought. Very unhealthy, "god, i've grown up and i have better preference now." taeil clicked his tongue.

"well...."

"it was just a random thought of someone i've known for awhile, that's all." taeil snorted, can't believe he's actually explaining this.

"if you say so," johnny nodded, a small smile graced his lips as he found the older cute in his own ways.

Taeil reached for the pringles on the coffee table, casually eating it as if those were his and johnny couldn't help but to silently judged taeil, "you know you'll have to buy the new one if you finish that right?" johnny said as he pointed to the pringles tube taeil was holding.

Taeil didn't say anything in reply, just giving the younger his  _innocent_ smile.

Johnny again, squinted his eyes at taeil before he shifted his attention to his phone, thumb scrolling down the-whatever-it-was on the screen.

It was silence for a while as the both of them were doing their own business, one was playing with his phone and the other was pigging out hansol's snacks.

"i bumped into taeyong just now," taeil started as he found the perfect timing to speak up.

Johnny tensed a little as he heard that name, "aha..?"

"we talked about few stuffs, catching up on each other."

Johnny didn't say anything right after. Honestly, it did piqued his interest but he didn't really want to know what's up with taeyong. Or ten. Actually he did want to know-

Johnny sighed, a little frown was visible on hisface. Couldn't help but felt a little suffocated with his thoughts as he couldn't understand himself. He couldn't figure out what he actually wanted and what he actually felt.

"and i told him things."

Johnny shifted his attention from the phone to taeil who's sitting on the single couch, "told him what?"

"things."

"what things?" johnny's frown got deeper and his expression looked like he's going to force the fuck out of taeil until he talked properly. He didn't intentionally made that face, just he couldn't help himself from spitting out the truth through his face.

Taeil wasn't intimated by that. _Not really._

He cleared his throat awkwardly before he spilled the things, "about what you feel toward them?"

"huh?" johnny didn't really understand.

Taeil sighed, "that you're sorry about the thing that happened."

"oh." johnny's expression relaxed a little, his tensed muscles loosened up.

"yeah."

"okay.."

"i know it's not my place to tell-"

"no hyung, it's okay. it's not like you did a bad thing though. i don't really mind. actually i don't know what to feel." johnny chuckled bitterly.

"well, uhh, actually that's not the main thing that i want to tell you."

Johnny didn't say anything in response, he just raised his eyebrows at taeil, eyes gleaming with interest.

"taeyong told me that ten wants to meet you."

Johnny's eyes widened a little, and he was left dumbstruck.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i miss writing the friendship moments


End file.
